Wambo Coal AEMR 2011-2012 - Peabody Energy

2011-2012 AEMR
2.4.3 Underground Operations
WCPL’s North Wambo Underground (NWU) mines
the Wambo seam using continuous miners and
longwall mining methods. The first of eight longwall
blocks (LW1) was completed in February 2009 and
production commenced in the second longwall block
(LW2) in March 2009. In December 2010, extraction
of Longwall Panel 3 (LW3) was completed, with
production of Longwall Panel 4 (LW4) commencing
in January 2011. During November 2011 LW4 was
completed. Extraction of Longwall Panel 5 (LW5)
commenced during December 2011. At the end of
the reporting period LW5 had retreated
approximately 2,858m. The completion of LW5 is
expected during August 2012. The NWU continues
to operate seven days a week.
In total 8 x 250m wide Longwall panels,
approximately 3.8 km to 4 km in length will be
developed with the Longwall panels orientated
south-west to north-east. Longwall panels one to
five will be developed off main headings driven from
the existing Bates North Open Cut highwall. The
remaining three panels will be developed by punch
mining directly off the Homestead Pit Open Cut
highwall.
WCPL primarily use Joy Mining Longwall
equipment, including the Longwall operating
system. The Longwall panels are formed by driving
two sets of gateroads (the tailgate and maingate
roads). Each gateroad requires two roadways
(headings) to be driven parallel to each other (31 m
apart). One of the roadways is used for personnel
and materials access and fresh air intake ventilation
while the other is used for coal clearance and return
air ventilation. The roadways are developed using
two Joy 12CM30 continuous miners. Approximately
77,382m of development has occurred since the
commencement of North Wambo Underground, with
a total of 17,695m of Longwall retreat.
The headings are connected every 100m by driving
a cut through from one heading to another. This
forms pillars of coal along the length of the
gateroad. The tailgate and maingate roads are
separated by the 250 m wide Longwall panel. The
maingate roads and tailgate roads are then linked
together by driving an installation road and bleeder
road at the inbye end of the longwall panels.
As the continuous miners develop the roadways,
Run of Mine (ROM) coal is conveyed to a stockpile
with an approximate 70,000 tonne capacity. When
a sufficient stockpile is present, coal is loaded onto
trucks for transport to the CHPP. During the 2011-
2012 reporting period, approximately 4.79 Mt of
ROM coal was produced by NWU.
At the end of the reporting period the following
equipment was available for mining activities at the
Underground, including:
2 x Joy 12CM29 Continuous miners;
1 x Joy 12CM30 Continuous miner
3 x electric shuttle cars with a 15 t payload;
8 x Load Haul Dump (LHD) machines;
9 x personnel transporters Specialised
Mining Vehicles (SMV’s);
Associated longwall equipment;
146 Joy Roof Supports;
2 x Joy 7LS2a Shearers;
2 x BSL and AFC systems;
2 x Monorail system;
2 x Pump sled; and
2 x 5MVA Transformer
The old Wollemi Underground Mine was on care
and maintenance throughout the reporting period
with no coal being produced from this mine. The old
Wollemi workshop, bathhouse and store facilities
previously used by the WCPL’s Underground
operations were decommissioned during October
2008 due to the completion of the new
administration and bathhouse facilities. The sealing
of the old Wollemi Mine was completed during the
reporting period on 25 May 2012.
2.4.4 Open Cut Operations
Downer EDI Mining are contracted to undertake
Open Cut mining operations at WCPL. Open cut
mining is divided into pits known as the Bates Pit,
Bates South Pit, Montrose Pit and the Homestead
Pit. The Bates Pit, Bates South Pit and the
Montrose Pit are adjoining and linked via a mining
corridor. The Homestead Pit is a separate mining
area. Operations during the reporting period
occurred in the Bates Pit, Bates South Pit, Montrose
Pit and the Homestead Pit. The current Open Cut
workings are presented in Figure 2.2.
Mining of the Open Cut commences with the
removal of vegetation and topsoil as described in
Section 2.2. Following land preparation,
excavators and trucks remove any weathered
material as a “free dig” operation. The weathered
material that can be free dug ranges from one metre
to ten metres in thickness. The remaining
overburden is drilled, blasted and removed utilising
the excavators and rear dump haul trucks to
uncover the coal.
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