WEAKENING OF ROOF IN THICK FLAT-LYING COAL SEAMS BY IMPLEMENTING SEAM FLOOR LAYERED MINING METHODS

Heavy rock falls of coal roof cause increased pressure load on powered roof support systems during the mining of first layers in seams III and IV-V of Tomusinsky coal field. Moreover, the complex morphology of the seam creates additional difficulties in downward working of seam layers. All these factors call for validation of thick flat-lying coal seams mining methods that involve longwall face layered floor mining as an alternative to any kind of artificially induced weakening of coal roof.