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Longwall Mining Looking Backward, Looking Forward

AFC Product Manager – Daniel Sharpe

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Longwall Mining – An Overview

• Underground Retreat Mining Method

• Face Lengths up to 450m

• Panel Lengths > 6000m

• Production > 1mt per month

• Depths over 1000m

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Longwall Product Groups

Longwall Shearer:

• Coal cutting machine

• Required to cut coal and rock

• Controls cutting height and horizon control

• System designed to efficiently load AFC

Powered Roof Supports (PRS):

• Hydraulic support holds up the

mine roof

• Hydraulic ram ‘advances’ AFC after

each shearer pass

• Caving shield protects miners from

collapsing goafArmoured Face Conveyor:

• Chain conveyor for coal clearance

• High torque to overcome friction and weight of coal

• High wear component

• Acts as the interface between PRS and Shearer

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History of Longwall Mining

1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020

Introduction of Belt

Conveyors onto the coal face

gives the first recognisable

mechanised conveyor

operation

Introduction of the first

Armoured Face Conveyor

(AFC) in the UK. Twin

outboard chain designs with

drive powers up to 40kWAFCs now established as

machine of choice for

longwall operations. Powers

up to 180kW and fluid

couplings introduced

Joy introduces patented BroadBand™ Chain

TTT Controlled Fill couplings

introduced to market allowing

for independent start of large

AFC motors. AFC size limits

changed significantly

Fully integrated Variable

Frequency Drives (VFD)

released to market

AFCs now available with

4800kW installed power

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Pressure to meet tightening cost

requirements of customers,

particularly in developing

markets.

Increasing size of equipment due

to production requirements,

equipment life and safety

standards.

Recent Times

In a hazardous industry,

significant focus has been placed

on improving operator safety and

reducing LTIs.

Safety

Demands for increased

production have driven much of

the design changes in coal

cutting and clearance.

Production Bigger is Better Cost

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Installed power of

4200kW, with

4800kW capable

Long life

components for

lower cost of

ownership

Pitch Steering and

ASA

Proximity Detection

for Powered Roof

Supports

Where are we now?

Pressure to meet tightening cost

requirements of customers,

particularly in developing

markets.

Increasing size of equipment due

to production requirements,

equipment life and safety

standards.

In a hazardous industry,

significant focus has been placed

on improving operator safety and

reducing LTIs.

Safety

Demands for increased

production have driven much of

the design changes in coal

cutting and clearance.

Production Bigger is Better Cost

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Looking Forward

Automation

Fully Autonomous Operations

Remote, Live Equipment Diagnostics

Automated Failure Detection

Equipment Life

Longer and Wider Panels Expected

Equipment Reliability

Lowest Cost of Ownership

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Keeping up with the change

Automation

Fully Autonomous Operations

Remote, Live Equipment Diagnostics

Automated Failure Detection

Equipment Life

Longer and Wider Panels Expected

Equipment Reliability

Lowest Cost of Ownership

Cameras

Remote Visualisation

Marker Band Identification

Bed-height Detection

Panline Tilt-Sensors

Tension Sensing Chain Link

Chain Break Detection

Dumbell Break Detection

Proximity Sensing

Increase in Support Densities

Longer Life Components – Industry Leading Materials

Ranging Arm Product Development

OptiDrive Reduction in Chain Travel

Collision Avoidance

Exception Management

Maximise Equipment Availability

Longer OE Equipment Life

Innovative Overhaul Technologies

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Industry Challenges – and why they matter…

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Roundup

Recent Times:

- Focus on improving the safety of underground operations

- Equipment size increasing: are we ready for the next step change?

- Industry contraction has put significant pressure on costs

Where Are We Now:

- New innovations across the product groups giving higher performance and longer life

- Advances in technology allowing greater levels of automation than ever

Where Are We Going:

- Automation is key: overarching goal for manless operations and fully automated equipment

- Achieving lowest cost of ownership

Can We Get There:

- Investing in apprentices and younger skilled professionals: leveraging global network to give access to operations and customers

- Global supply network gives stability through political change

- Giving customers highest equipment availability and lowest cost per tonne

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Questions?