Comment
Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Coal mines often choose not to backfill production under profit-driven motives, leading to irreparable environmental losses.As shown in Figure 18, cut-and-fill mining significantly improves filling efficiency, reduces costs related to filling materials, and decreases the emissions of mining damage and coal gangue. This is beneficial for achieving a balance between filling costs and mining benefits, promoting the application of filling mining methods. 5. Discussion 5.1. Existing Technical FoundationThe key to cut-and-fill mining lies in the stability of the cutting space and the safety of the cutting operation. Achieving these objectives requires innovation based on the existing coal gangue filling technology system. After nearly 20 years of development, coal gangue filling technology has evolved through four generations, forming a new paradigm for modern green coal mining known as ‘mining and filling + X’. The primary research and development goal at this stage is to minimize ecological damage at the source of mining methods. The specific process is outlined in Figure 19 [8,9,10].Throughout the development of coal gangue filling technology, numerous new technologies and processes have emerged, particularly with the continuous upgrading of coal gangue filling hydraulic supports. This evolution has undergone four generations of innovation. Currently, ‘mining and filling + X’ coal mining has achieved the parallel operation of mining and filling, as well as the integration of mining and filling equipment. The main challenges remain the shortage of gangue materials and the complexities of filling and transportation.The starting point of cut-and-fill mining is to ensure the self-reliance of filling materials and in situ underground filling, aiming to reduce and control subsidence. This approach provides a feasible solution to the current issues faced by ‘mining and filling + X’. However, cut-and-fill mining requires the addition of a roof cutting device behind the support, necessitating the transformation and upgrading of existing coal gangue filling hydraulic supports. With its development history and the current strong manufacturing industry as a support, it is feasible to further modify existing filling supports to meet the needs of cut-and-fill mining.The coal mining filling technology, and potential underground coal gangue separation in cut-and-fill mining, are largely consistent with the current fully mechanized solid filling method and can serve as the foundation for cut-and-fill mining. The main distinction between cut-and-fill mining and current ‘mining and filling + X’ coal mining is the roof cutting process, and the roof cutting process can be realized by advanced manufacturing. 5.2. Distinct AdvantagesCompared to traditional caving and filling mining methods, cut-and-fill mining presents several distinct advantages:(1)Efficiency: it allows for simultaneous mining and filling processes, minimizing interference and time losses, which maintains a high coal mining efficiency.(2)Economic balance: It achieves a better balance between coal mining capacity and filling capacity, optimizing the supply and
Add Comment