Velenje Mining Method

Velenje Mining Methodand Sustainable DevelopmentLecturer: dr. Milan MEDVEDFaculty of Mining and Geology, University of BelgradeJune 3, 2013A FEELING FOR THE FUTURE

100%GROSS ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION IN SLOVENIA BY SOURCEincluded slovenian part of NPP KrškoTE NPP/SLO HE RES&CHPSHARES 2012: HE 33,6%TE 41,9%NPP/SLO 23,6%RES&CHP 0,84%TEŠ 33,3%, DEM 23,72%, NEK/2 23,6%90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%0%SOURCE : EZS= Energy Industry Chamber of Slovenia,

Tone188618891892189518981901190419071910191319161919192219251928193119341937194019431946194919521955195819611964196719701973197619791982198519881991199419972000200320062009201220152018202120242027203020332036203920422045204820512054Premogovnik Velenje (Velenje Coal Mine) is one of the largest and most modernunderground coal mining sites in Europe. It operates on the largest Slovenian coaldeposit and on one of the thickest known coal layers in the world.Geological profile W-E6,000,000PRODUCTION 1875 - 2012; PLAN 2013 - 2054total yield 230 million ton; planned 115 million ton5,000,0004,000,0003,000,0002,000,0001,000,0000LetoVelenje Coal Mine - historical

Two longwall faces in operation, third one in preparation

THE VELENJE MINING METHODthe most effective methodfor extracting thick coal seams

International reference ofVelenje Coal MineIMC-Montan Consulting GmbH, Germanyevaluation of VCM, February 2011:“Velenje Coal Mine (PV) represents areference point for the mining coalindustry in Western Europe!!!”

Sequence of seam extraction by levels

Velenje Mining Method

Development of Velenje Mining Method

Key development projects by the year 2015PREMOGOVNIK VELENJE – key projects:• Velenje Mining Method (VMM):– Highly productive mining method– Modern technology & equipment - BAT– Longwall coal faces length: 140 to 220 m– Two longwalls in operation simultaneously2008: 3 coal faces 26.000 tonnes/day2010: 2 coal faces 25.000 tonnes/dayCompetitiveprice of coal!!!

Production at thecoal face G2/CDate:31 May 2010Length: 200 mTonnage: 10,100tonProgress: 8.6 mProgress per cut:0.95 mAttained height:4.56 mExploited JLP: at the back: 172piece =10,836 kg at the front: 200piece =12,600 kgEmployees: 20/shift.

Coal “factory”

Modern equipment:- Roadheader machine GPK-PV- Continuous lengthening of the transporter AST 800-Transport-crushing unit Hazemag MCS 27- Arch feeding machine PL 08-PV- Boring set GTAConsolidation of the rock mass –development underway

Roadheader GPK-PV

Schield DBT-PVVCM Hydraulic support system DBT-PV

Longwall G3/B220 m

Key development projectTHE WINDING SHAFT NOP II

RATIONALISATION OF THEMAIN CONVEYANCE LINEEXSISTINGCONVEYANCE LINENEW CONVEYANCE LINE22

Shaft NOP IIGeological profile through new shaft NOP II

Rationalisation of the coal transport – NOP IIRedirection of coal transport from the conveyor belts to vertical shaft, whichsubstantially reduces the length of transport pathsThe main existing outlet path is approx. 4 500 to 5 000 m (depending on the currentlocation of active excavation sites); it will be shortened by 3 100 m.Effects of the investment: reduction of the length of the main coal outlet by 65%, reduction of energy and material costs by 33 %, reduction of labour costs by 55 %, and reduction of current investment costs by 62 %.A very important aspect, in addition to reducing the direct costs of coal removal fromthe excavation sites, is also wider social benefit and positive effects on theenvironment: concentration of industrial facilities within the NOP area, reduction ofvibrations, noise, dusting, odour, removal of industrial plants from the immediateurban environment, providing space for business development, etc.

NOP II - TECHNICAL PARAMETERSITEMVALUEDiameter of the final shaft loading cross 6.15 msectionDepth of the shaft505 mDepth of transport490 mMax. speed of transport12 m/sAcceleration/deceleration 0.8 m/s 2Payload of a single container23.0 tTransport capacity/hour964.9 t/hTransport time/day18 hDaily transport capacity17,368 t/dayDays of operation per year235 daysAnnual capacity4,081,503 t/yearWorkload/full skip66,708 kgWorkload/empty skip43,528 kgTransport ropes/carrying ropes4 x 44 mm 6x36WS+FCBallast ropes/bottom ropes2 x 4 x 14 K flat 176 x 26 mm

NOP II SHAFT CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE

SHAFT NOP II CONSTRUCTION SITE

THE FIRST 100 M OF NOP II SHAFT

GPS Network Survey PV

Mine surveying Equipment- BATElectronic Tachymeter Leica TPS 1201+„Total Station“Electronic Digital Level Leica DNA 03

GPS Leica Viva GS 10Elektronski nivelir Leica DNA 03

GPS Leica Smartrover 1200, sonar Navisound 110

Vertical position of Face k.-65/B

Coal Stockpile Survey

Forecast of vertical ground movementscaused by Longwall Face k.-65/B

Forecast of total vertical ground movementscaused by exploitation in 2013

Time development of the ground subsidence2012-2016-2021

Velenje Lake Observation

Outline of the subsidence lakesdevelopment 2013-2017-2023

Research projects co-financed through EU foundsRFCS (EU Research Fund for Coal and Steel)1. COGASOUT – New technologies to predict gas outbursts andemissions in thick coal seams.2. LOWCARB – »Low carbon« initiatives – Optimization ofventilation, water pumping and capture of CH4 from mineventilation air.3. OPTI-MINE - Demonstration of options for the optimization ofprocesses for increased efficiency and safety in coal mines byusing the latest information and communication technologies.FP7 (Seventh Framework Programme)4. GHG2E – Use of coal mining gases from mines and coal layersand their conversion to the energy

RIP‘09 - Development of new mine drillingtechnologies and equipment(Slovenian Technology Agency TIA; Development-investment projects RIP'09)• Development of technology for construction:– of mine drainage drill holes, multifunctional drill holes and prospection drill holes,– development of the comprehensive equipment required for new mine drilling technologies,– development of three drilling machines.• Project finished successfully: duration from April 2009 to September 2011• Project value EUR 2.683 million; co-financing share amounts to EUR 1.336 million.• Partners: Salus, Rogel Metal, FNSE (NTF) LJ, HGEM

COGASOUT - New technologies to predict gas outbursts andemissions in thick coal seams(Research Fund for Coal and Steel)• Lignite degasification and acquisition of CH4 and CO2.• Objective: pilot test drainage – a system for controlled degasification andcontol of gas outbursts during mining.• Duration: July 2010 – July 2013• Project value EUR 3.7 million; co-financing share for the entire projectamounts to EUR 2,2 million.• Partners: K-UTEC (Germany), MRSL (England), DMT (Germany), AITEMIN(Spain), HVL (Spain), GIG (Poland), HBP (Slovakia)razplinjevalne cevi vplasti premogaizkopno čelo150 m v širino60 m razmikvakuumska črpalkana površinipodzemeljskitransport

»Low carbon« initiativesOptimisation of ventilation and water pumpingas well as capture of CH4 from mine ventilation air(Research Fund for Coal and Steel)• Optimisation of ventilation, technology for capture of CH4 from mineventilation air, development of mine water pumping.• Study of intelligent ventilation systems and upgrade of control and designprocess.• Software upgrade and development of measuring methods.• Duration: July 2010 – July 2013• Project value EUR 4 million; co-financing share amounts to EUR 2.4 million.• Partners: Camborne school of mines (England), University of Notingham(England), MRSL (England), AITEMIN (Spain), Universidad de Oviedo (Spain),Hulleras del Norte (Spain), GIG (Poland), Kompania Weglowa (Poland)

Optimisation of processes for increased efficiency and safetyin coal mines by using the latest information andcommunication technologies(Research Fund for Coal and Steel)• Options for integration and use of latest technologies for increased efficiency andsafety in coal mining processes in five different European coal mines. The objectiveof the project is the development and use of intelligent communication devices andnetworks for wired and wireless communication and data transmission.• Duration: July 2011 – July 2014 (36 months)• Project value EUR 4.7 million; co-financing share amounts to EUR 2.35 million.• Partners: RAG (Germany), Hulleras del Norte (Spain), Ostravsko-karvinské doly(Czech Republic), Kompania Weglowa (Poland), Minetronics (Germany), AITEMIN(Spain), Silesian University Of Technology - Politechnika Slaska (Poland), DMT(Germany), Evonik Degussa (Germany)

– Wind power stationsProjects of Premogovnik VelenjeDevelopment and construction of an ecological wind power station, two pilot models andestablishment of production. We plan to develop the technology for the construction ofecological wind power stations in the range from 10 to 300 kW (three prototypes) and toestablish a new company for the production and marketing of ecological wind powerstations (target market: countries of the former Yugoslavia as well as Central andSoutheastern Europe).– Underground gasification of coal(PV, Ireet, Esotech, FNSE (NTF), KI). Underground gasification of a thick seam of ligniteand other coals in Slovenia, with the purpose of heat and power generation– Methodology for fixation of CO2 in fly ash(PV, Georis, Esotech, FNSE (NTF), TEŠ). Technology for CO2 capture based on familiarchemical procedures; after mining and utilisation of energy, carbon from the geosphere(lignite) is permanently returned to the geosphere.

PREMOGOVNIK VELENJE AS A GLOBAL REFERENCEFOR IBM MAXIMO• IBM Maximo software is intended for management and maintenance of the equipment: for monitoring ofdelays, costs and material consumption.• PV is characteristic for high level of dynamic monitoring of data (equipment, locations, statuses,interventions, etc.).• The PV-solution was presented at the Pulse 2012 and 2013 conference in Las Vegas.• As a Maximo user, PV represents a global reference of IBM in global mining industry.• In 2011, the functioning of Maximo was presented to the representatives of the gold and copper mineDundee Precious Metals (Bulgaria) - on the basis of experience/reference from PV, they decided to introducean identical system.

MAXIMO PV na Pulse 2013, LasVegas

DESPITE THE RATIONALISATION OF BUSINESS OPERATIONSSafety at work – a precondition for the execution of the production process!!!• Elaborated risk assessment:– mechanical hazards– chemical harmfulness (gases)!!!– coal dust– noise• Education and information• Medical examinations• Fire safety• Protection and rescue plan• Rescue squad (>100 years)• Employee's’ health careAccidents from 1990 to 2012Mine Fires from 1990 to 2012

Separate waste collectionat mine sites underground

Control of the environmental impacts:• Environmental StandardCertificate ISO 14001, ISO 9001OHSAS 18001 and ISO 50001• A mine is an industrial facility withimpacts on the environment; like afactory or motorway – impactscannot be fully eliminated• We perform legally prescribedmonitoring of environmentalimpacts• We keep the impacts within legalstandards by observing the MACand by limiting the impacts to theextent possible!!!• We have an environmentallyacceptable method for ashdisposal within the subsidencearea!!!

ACTIVE RESTORATION OF THE SUBSIDENCE AREA

SUBSIDENCE RESTORATION BETWEEN LAKE VELENJE AND LAKE ŠOŠTANJ

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTThe areas where the excavation works have been completed are promptlyrehabilitated. By the subsidence lakes a city stadium and tourist&recreationcenter have been built. Hiking, jogging and cycling routes have been prepared,100 benches installed. It is a venue where both inhabitants and visitors of thevalley spend their free time.Outlook of the PV exploitation area

Expanding to the new marketsRussiaBiHSerbiaMontenegroMacedoniaSlovakiaGeorgiaTurkeyIndiaVietnamIndonesiaAustraliaNewZealandJoint venture FPV office