The Australian Centre for Geomechanics has developed a training video for open-pit coal mining that aims to increase productivity and safety by taking a geotechnical approach.
Unearthing Black Gold employs the philosophy that if you properly educate coal-face operators, a company will benefit by achieving greater safety and productivity.
Video footage from mining operations, augmented with computer graphics, teaches viewers about the various geological conditions that affect pit-slope design. Based on these models and conditions, the video instructs users about how to recognize different geological conditions and then determine the proper method of pit-slope design. Control of water flow is emphasized.
The script for Unearthing Black Gold was written by geotechnical consultants in the Queensland coal industry and edited by various mining people in New South Wales and Queensland.
The video has several chapters: definitions of terms; the mining cycle; general pit slope hazards; hazards in excavated rock walls; hazards during stripping; hazards in spoil and waste slopes; and hazards in coal stock piles.
For excavated rock walls, the identified hazards are falls of isolated rocks, as well as planar, wedge, toppling and composite failures. Computer graphics are used to illustrate each of these mechanisms. Failures of boxcuts and dragline benches are included.
The video stresses the importance of good blasting practices, as well as excavation within design limits, wall trimming, and following site procedures.
For spoil piles and waste dumps, the video examines the hazards of rolling isolated rocks, skin slippages and deep-seated slips. Moreover, it looks at the role of poor floors, weak base material, weak spoil material, and dumping into water or mud.
For information, www.uwa.edu.au
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