Support Pillar Mining Method

• US 20200131903A1
• Filed: 10/23/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2018
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Perleen Cc
• Original Assignee: Perleen Cc
• Inventors: Persico, Paolo, Dalla Riva, Paolo
• Application Number:
  US16/661,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20200131903A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 25/54 Slitting by unguided cutter cables or cutter chains, or by unguided tools drawn along the working face by cables or the like dislodging by planing means E21C27/32; propulsion by haulage cables E21C29/14
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 41/16 Methods of underground mining winning machines therefor E21C25/00 - E21C39/00; Layouts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 41/18 for brown or hard coal

Abstract

A support pillar mining method, and more particularly, a support pillar mining method allows for the selective mining of an identified segment in a support pillar. The method includes the steps of (i) cutting, in the support pillar, a removable segment with a saw; (ii) retaining, in the support pillar, a support portion extending from a foot wall to a hanging wall; and (iii) removing, from the support pillar, the cut removable segment wherein the support portion extending from the foot wall to the hanging wall supports the hanging wall after the cut removable segment has been removed from the support pillar.

Claims

1. A support pillar mining method, the method including the steps of:

cutting, in the support pillar, a removable segment with a saw;

retaining, in the support pillar, a support portion extending from a foot wall to a hanging wall; and

removing, from the support pillar, the cut removable segment

wherein the support portion extending from the foot wall to the hanging wall supports the hanging wall after the cut removable segment has been removed from the support pillar.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the saw is a diamond wire saw.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method, prior to the cutting step, includes the additional steps of:

drilling, in the support pillar, a hole from a first face of the support pillar to a second face of the support pillar; and

threading, through the drilled hole, the wire saw which is to cut the removable segment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cut removable segment extends from a first face of the support pillar to a second face of the support pillar.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second faces of the support pillar are opposing faces.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein an end profile of the cut removable segment takes the form of any one of a circle, an oval, a square, a rectangular, a triangle, a rhombus, a trapezoid, an arch and a hyperbole.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the removable segment is cut in the support pillar by:

making a first horizontal cut in the support pillar to form a bottom face of the removable section;

making a second horizontal cut in the support pillar to form a top face of the removable section; and

making a vertical cut in the support pillar to form a side face of the removable section.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the method, prior to making a second horizontal cut in the support pillar, includes the additional step of introducing a spacer in a space left by the first horizontal cut, the spacer being introduced into said space to serve as a load bearing member once the cut removable segment weighs down on the spacer.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the method includes the additional step of introducing a friction reducing means in a space left by the first horizontal cut, the friction reducing means being introduced into said space to facilitate the eventual removal of the cut removable segment from the support pillar.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the retained support portion straddles a space left in the support pillar after the cut removable segment has been moved out of the support pillar.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the retained support portion extends across a side region of a space left in the support pillar after the cut removable segment has been removed.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the removal of the cut removable segment from the support pillar includes the steps of:

urging the cut removable section out of the support pillar;

sequentially cutting the cut removable segment into distinct sections as said cut removable segment is being urged out of the support pillar; and

transporting the cut sections away from the support pillar.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the removal of the cut removable segment from the support pillar includes the steps of:

urging the cut removable section out of the support pillar in a first direction;

sequentially cutting the cut removable segment into distinct sections from a first end region of the cut removable segment, as said cut removable segment is being urged out of the support pillar in the first direction;

urging the cut removable section out of the support pillar in a second direction;

sequentially cutting the cut removable segment into distinct sections from a second end region of the cut removable segment, as said cut removable segment is being urged out of the support pillar in the second direction;

leaving, in the support pillar, a section of the cut removable segment for supporting the support pillar and hanging wall.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein a filler material is introduced in a space left behind the cut removable segment as said cut removable segment is being urged out of the support pillar.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the introduced filler material reinforces the structural integrity of the support pillar.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the cut removable segment takes a wedge-like form, the wedge-like form of the cut removable segment serving to ease the process of urging the cut removable segment out of the support pillar.

17. Use of the method of claim 1 in a newly developed underground mine, the underground mine including a room having a hanging wall which is supported by elongate support pillars.