METHOD OF PREPARATION FOR AND MINING OF STEEP AND SLOPING COAL SEAMS Russian patent published in 2001 - IPC

FIELD: mining; applicable in mining of contiguous coal seams of medium and steep dip. SUBSTANCE: method is realized so that haulage and ventilation levels are combined within one extraction field, and supply of intake air and discharge of return air from extraction blocks are carried out through separately arranged isolated from each other main and intermediate cross-cuts and fringe drifts of some working level with subsequent discharge of return air through earlier worked-out level. Preparation of seams and extraction blocks is performed from top down with their division, according to their dip, into group sublevels including group of sublevels or layers. In this case, driven from opening-up cross-cuts of working level are downward workings to level of each group sublevel which are interconnected by group sublevel accumulating and ventilation drifts for subsequent mining. EFFECT: prevented occurrence of fires and their localization in extraction of single or contiguous fire-hazardous seams. 5 cl, 3 dwg