Examining safety and sustainability in longwall coal mining through case studies of disasters and reviewing global trends in environmental stewardship

Abstract

Longwall mining is a method of underground coal mining that is common in many regions worldwide, however, it is uncommon and relatively new to the mining industry in Canada. The coal mining industry in Western Canada is familiar with various types of surface operations, however, recently a number of operations have been closed, or placed on Care-and-Maintenance, due to poor market conditions and profitability. In spite of these low prices however, the industry is seeing the potential development of longwall underground coal projects which seem to present an opportunity for mining that can be more economical and sustainable relative to surface operations.
This paper identifies and examines current and historical longwall underground coal projects and what makes them successful financially, economically, and socially. The topic of safety is a primary focus in the analyses, with recent and historical coal mining disasters highlighted, and operational challenges addressed. The paper also includes a summary of the root cause analyses that can serve as a risk register to highlight significant issues and challenges for operating a longwall coal mine in Canada, and can potentially be used to help educate a local workforce so that future operations in Canada are both safe and sustainable.
The paper discusses sustainability within the coal mining industry and the effects longwall operations could have on Canada’s future. The current technologies utilized in Longwall operations provide opportunities to safely and economically mine coal resources in Canada, and future advances in longwall technology could drastically reduce accidents, lost time injuries, and fatalities. However, the method, and coal mining in general, is also examined for long term sustainability and suitability when considering the global trend of increasing environmental awareness and responsibility, and the reduction of fossil fuel consumption, particularly coal.