Underground Priorities
The underground research requirements for 2009 cover two focus areas – welfare of community and employees, and profitability. The first includes health, safety, environment and community initiatives towards zero harm. The second goal incorporates improved productivity, increased automation capability, equipment and systems reliability and reduced costs.
IMPROVED HEALTH AND SAFETY
Areas of focus and interest for underground mining are:
- Clarification of key underground health and safety issues and management practices, including legislative best practice alternatives.
- Improving the management of principal/major/core underground mining hazards including gas, fires and explosions. Outburst research goals include efficient collection of data, more reliable detection of structures, improved gas drainage, education and training initiatives and improved outburst management protocols.
- Improving equipment operator interfaces (eg collision avoidance), greater automation and reduced exposure to vibration impacts, ergonomics and appropriate operator skills and practices. Reduce repetitive heavy manual handling, introduce lightweight materials and investigate technology to improve vision.
- Safe controls for, or the elimination by alternative technologies, of airborne contaminants (eg dust and diesel emissions) and noise exposure.
- Reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of emergency response measures leading to practical solutions for industry implementation.
- Innovative processes to assist in the management of operator fatigue. This applies equally to the coal preparation and open cut areas.
- The development of simple, applied and practical risk management tools/approaches tailored for application in the Australian coal industry. This applies equally to the coal preparation and open cut areas.
MANAGEMENT OF MINING CONDITIONS
- Improved efficiency and effectiveness in detecting anomalies and discontinuities, characterising ground conditions using innovative methods of drilling, exploration and remote sensing.
- Develop techniques and procedures to improve the effectiveness of ground control systems using monitoring systems, integrated real time models, industry wide analysis and improved designs.
HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY MINING
- Improvements in roadway development systems and equipment.
- Application of remote control and automation processes to increase productivity and reduce operator exposure to hazards.
- Improved longwall systems reliability and performance.
- Innovative initiatives to improve logistics and training of operators, tradespersons and staff to build and maintain skills and competency for safer, more efficient mining systems and knowledge management.
EQUIPMENT AND MINING SYSTEMS RELIABILITY
- Improvements to the design and uses of equipment to maximise safety, operability purpose, reliability, maintainability and energy efficiency.
- Increase the uptime of mining and services processes, including the application of predictive maintenance methods.
- Further improvements in the understanding and rationalisation of both low and high voltage electrical systems.
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