Abstract: The invention provides a pumped storage system with waterfall control subsystem, architected to enable optimized achievement of two primary goals in the context of a geography with upper and lower water bodies such as lakes, which are connected by a river with a waterfall. The first primary goal comprises energy storage utilizing a pumped storage system between two water bodies of different elevation, which can store energy from excess power production periods and return that energy by producing power to fill needs during deficit power production periods. The second primary goal comprises touristic value & waterfall viewer satisfaction combined with environmental & ecological objectives. A multiobjective control subsystem is utilized for synthesis of time-domain control commands aimed towards optimized achievement of the aforesaid two primary goals, and for control of the pumped storage system with waterfall control subsystem responsive to these time-domain control commands.

Abstract: A cutting apparatus suitable for creating tunnels and subterranean roadways includes independently pivoting supports that each carry a respective independently pivoting arm and a rotatable cutting head. Each cutting head via the supports and arms, is configured to slew laterally outward in a sideways direction and to pivot in a vertical upward and downward direction. The supports and arms are mounted on a linear moving sled carried by a main frame.

Abstract: A method of moving waste material from a mining site using at least one excavator and a plurality of dozers, including excavating material with the at least one excavator from a dig area, said at least one excavator moving along an excavator path that is parallel with the dig area, transferring the excavated material to a plurality of slots, each of said slots are positioned at an angle to the excavator path, and pushing the transferred material by one of said plurality of dozers along the slot and away from the excavator path; wherein each slot allows each of the plurality of dozers to move between a proximal position and a distal position relative to the excavator path.

Abstract: A cold planer and method for ventilating the cold planer. The cold planer comprises a frame, a hood, a milling drum and a ventilation system. The hood is disposed under the frame and defines a cutting chamber. A milling drum is disposed inside the cutting chamber under the hood. The ventilation system comprises a cutting chamber port, a boost fan, a settling box and a main fan. The cutting chamber port extends through the hood. The boost fan is configured to generate a siphon that draws airflow from inside the cutting chamber through the cutting chamber port. The settling box is configured to cause particles to drop out of airflow. The settling box is in fluid communication with the cutting chamber port. The main fan is configured to draw airflow from the settling box and a region in front of the hood and vent it away from the cold planer.

Abstract: A method for burying a pipeline in a bed of a body of water which includes: making a trench with a bottom surface in a bed of a body of water via a bed working vehicle advanced in an advancing direction; advancing a floating unit in the body of water; releasing a pipeline in the body of water via a tensioner and along a lay device tilted in an adjustable manner and constrained to the floating unit; guiding the pipeline to the bottom surface of the trench via a guide vehicle advanced on the bed of the body of water; and controlling the tensioner, the floating unit, the lay device, the bed working vehicle, and the guide vehicle to minimize stress along the pipeline.

Abstract: A multi-stage seafloor mining system that has at least concentration stage, a reclamation stage, and a haulage stage. The system includes a concentrating system (50) that processes seafloor materials, a reclaimer machine (300) that collects the processed seafloor materials, and a mechanical haulage system (40) that receives the processed seafloor materials collected by the reclaimer machine (300) and conveys discrete parcels of the processed seafloor materials to a surface vessel (100).

Abstract: A mining machine includes a frame, a boom supported for pivoting movement relative to the frame, and a cutter head pivotably coupled to the boom. The cutter head includes a housing, a cutter shaft coupled to the housing, a cutting disc, and an excitation mechanism. A second portion of the cutter shaft extends parallel to a cutter axis. The cutting disc is coupled to the second portion of the cutter shaft and is supported for free rotation relative to the cutter shaft about the cutter axis. The cutting disc includes a plurality of cutting bits defining a cutting edge. The excitation mechanism includes an exciter shaft and a mass eccentrically coupled to the cutter shaft. The excitation mechanism is coupled to the first portion of the cutter shaft. Rotation of the exciter shaft induces oscillating movement of the second portion of the cutter shaft and the cutting disc.

Abstract: A mine mining system mining ore from a vein in a mine including a mining area provided inside an ore body, a first mine shaft provided inside the ore body, and a second mine shaft connecting the mining area and the first mine shaft to each other, the mine mining system includes: a transporting machine which loads the ore mined in the mining area and transports the ore to a soil discharge area while traveling in the first mine shaft; and a loading machine which stays in the second mine shaft, excavates the ore in the mining area, conveys the excavated ore in a direction moving away from the mining area, and loads the ore on the transporting machine.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes, in a processor, slicing an ore-body solid model stored in a memory into a plurality of horizontal and a plurality of vertical pieces and deriving, from the sliced horizontal pieces and the vertical pieces, information corresponding to stope blocks and pillar blocks of the ore-body, stope blocks and pillar blocks corresponding to particular pieces of the plurality of horizontal pieces and the plurality of vertical pieces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of storing waste material in a subterranean formation, the method including digging a mine shaft to reach the subterranean formation; constructing a ventilated underground control center wherein the center includes a computerized control panel; providing a drill head, wherein the computerized control panel controls the movements of the drill head; providing a hollow drill pipe; providing a movable hydraulic shield; providing a movable resin roof bolting machine; providing a movable waste extrusion device; operating the computerized control panel to advance the drill head into the subterranean formation to obtain a mined-out space; and extruding waste material into the mined-out space of the subterranean formation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a mining machine. One system includes a controller, a stationary object, and a radar device. The radar device transmits radio waves toward the stationary object and detects reflections of the radio waves. The controller obtains timing information regarding the radio waves and the reflections. Based on the timing information, the controller is configured to determine a first distance between the radar device and the stationary object before sumping the mining machine into material and a second distance between the radar device and the stationary object after sumping the mining machine into the material. The controller is also configured to determine a sump depth of the mining machine based on the first distance and the second distance, compare the determined sump depth to a predetermined sump depth, and perform at least one automatic action when the determined sump depth does not satisfy the predetermined sump depth.

Abstract: A mining machine for cutting material from a mine wall includes a cutting head that is movable to engage the mine wall, a vacuum duct positioned proximate the cutting head and including an inlet for receiving the material that is cut from the mine wall, and a sizer for reducing the size of material that passes into the vacuum duct, the sizer being positioned proximate the inlet.

Abstract: A material haulage system that transports mining materials, such as but not limited to, coal, ore, etc., from a mine is provided. The material transport system includes a continuous conveyor that transports the mining material, a movable assembly that moves and/or supports the continuous conveyor, and a propulsion assembly attached to the movable assembly that maneuver the continuous conveyor through the mine.

Abstract: A method of increasing a dwell time of a slurry facility at a given ore processing location by using a mobile oil sands mining system. The method involves coordinating the operation of at least two mining conveyors to facilitate mining at least one arc-shaped sector of ore that otherwise would not be within operational reach of the slurry facility at the ore processing location. The method increases the slurry facility's operational time at the ore processing location before relocation thereof is required to keep the slurry facility within operational reach of at least one receding mine face.

Abstract: A method for increasing the yield of a deposit including a rock which including at least one valuable mineral to be exposed by comminuting the rock and at least one further mineral, may include the following steps: performing a boring operation using a boring device prior to extracting the rock, determining at least one predetermined boring parameter for the boring device, determining at least one measured value characterizing a current boring behavior of the boring device, and performing a computational elimination of a dependency of the at least one measured value on the at least one boring parameter, wherein at least one rock texture-dependent characteristic value is obtained, and wherein the at least one characteristic value is used as a measure for a mineral particle size of the at least one valuable mineral in the rock and for setting an optimum degree of comminution when comminuting the rock.

Abstract: A method is provided for increasing the yield in a deposit comprising a rock that includes a valuable mineral, which can be exposed by virtue of the rock being comminuted, and at least one further mineral, wherein the valuable mineral has a higher density than the at least one further mineral, which method includes: carrying out a drilling operation using a drilling tool prior to the rock being extracted, drillings being generated in the process; forming an aerosol comprising the drillings and a gas stream; transferring the aerosol from the drilling tool to at least one air separator; carrying out hydraulic classification, wherein at least two fractions comprising in each case equal-falling particles of the drillings are formed; and determining a property which belongs to at least one of the fractions and is used as a measure for setting an optimum degree of comminution of the rock.

Abstract: In a self-propelled cold milling machine, in particular cold milling machine, for working ground surfaces, with a milling drum supported at a machine frame, no less than one conveying device arranged at the machine frame which accepts the milled-off material from the milling drum and discharges said milled-off material, in conveying direction, at a discharge end along a parabolic trajectory onto a point of discharge, it is provided for the following features to be achieved: that the conveying device comprises a shielding device at the discharge end, where said shielding device shields the material milled off and leaving the conveying device without influencing the parabolic trajectory on a part of the path to the point of discharge at least by means of lateral sections.

Abstract: A method of mineral fuel beneficiation with subsequent delivery to the consumer by pipeline transportation relates fuel and energy complex and can find application in coal and slate energetics. Invention main objective is security of solid fuel delivery from mine (or an open cut coal mine) in already enriched form, with its subsequent through delivery to the consumer by pipeline on any distances in stream mode, without any intermediate transshipment operations. For this purpose use liquid with set complex physical, sanitary-and-hygienic and ecological properties, simultaneously, in 4 qualities: As environment for grinding material that needed further reduction of size; As separation environment for the subsequent, after reduction of size, deep underground gravitational enrichment of combustible mineral, As motionless filler of the vertical pipeline, for buoyancy in it ready product from mine on terrestrial surface: As carrying medium for final drift of end-product to the consumer by main pipeline.

Abstract: In developing an underground mine a mine shaft 80 is formed by excavating earth and removing excavated material from the shaft 80 by a material transport system comprising skips 36 movable up and down on skip guides within the shaft. Tunnels 82 are launched from a bottom part of shaft 80 by excavating a cavern 81 in which a tunnel boring machine is assembled and operated to bore the tunnels 82. Material from the tunnel excavation is transported from the tunnels via conveyor 87 to the material transport system established within the shaft during formation of the shaft which is operated to transport that material to an earth surface region.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for mining a material in an underground environment. The method comprises positioning a structure in an underground roadway and locating the structure so that the structure provides a reactive force when a cutting head is pushed against the material via a series of members coupled to the structure. The roadway is suitable for passage of people and transportation of machinery and removed material. The method also comprises coupling the cutting head to at least one of the members of the series of members and the series of members to the structure. Further, the method comprises forming a plurality of branch tunnel portions projecting from the roadway into the material using the cutting head and the series of members coupled to the structure, comprising repositioning the cutting head and the series of members between formation of the branch tunnel portions. At least one of the formed branch tunnel portions has a length of more than 50 m.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a set of methods and procedures that may be combined in order to greatly increase the speed of development of an access ramp in a underground hard-rock mine. More particularly, the present invention was designed to target all the bottle-necks comprised by the access operation of a hard-rock mine that employs a Rail-Veyor machine. The invention also comprises of an ore production line which consists in the sequential arrangement of a series of mining equipment between the work face and the entrance of a hard-rock mine. The invention also comprises a Hard Rock Mining Access Plan for a hard-rock mine which encompasses two parallel ramps interconnected by cross-cut passageways. Further, invention also comprises a Ground Support Installation method configured to shorten the time required for the installation of ground support inside of a hard-rock mine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel method of retrieving gas from a gas-containing subterranean formation, the method including digging a mine shaft to reach the subterranean formation; constructing a ventilated underground control center wherein the center includes a computerized control panel, wherein the computerized control panel controls the movements of a hot head device such as a plasma torch, an electro-chemical apparatus, a hydrogenating solvent or heated ceramic particles; a hollow drill pipe; a movable hydraulic shield; a movable resin roof bolting machine; and a movable waste extrusion device; providing mining personnel to the ventilated underground control center; and allowing the mining personnel to operate the computerized control panel wherein they perform the tasks of moving the hot head device into the subterranean formation, recovering the gas, and extruding waste material into a mined-out space of the subterranean formation.

Abstract: A cutter head segment for use at the front of a train of conveyor segments for high wall mining includes at least one fluid transporter connected to a fluid distribution chamber. A pump segment for use in a train of conveyor segments for high wall mining as a segment following the cutter head segment is provided with a second fluid transporter and at least one front connector and at least one rear connector for connecting the second fluid transporter to adjacent fluid transporters. An assembly includes a cutter head segment and a pump segment, and a train of conveyor segments.

Abstract: A method of mining comprising: using a vehicle fitted with scanning module to scan a bench face of a mine bench for both geometric and geological information; making ore grade assessments of material at the bench face from the information provided by the bench face scan; removing material from the bench; and transporting removed material for processing. At least one of said removing, transporting, and processing is performed at least partially dependent on the ore grade assessments.

Abstract: Methods and equipment have been developed that combine the use of continuous miners, flexible conveyor trains, and longwall mining techniques to provide flexible and efficient removal of resources from subterranean formations. Some methods for use in a mining operation include advancing a continuous miner towards an angled face that extends from a headgate to a tailgate; and performing an angled cutting turn in which the continuous miner turns less than 90°.

Abstract: A side shifting conveyor is provided for a surface mining operation. The conveyor generally includes conveyor sections and conveyor translation devices. Each conveyor translation device includes a drive operable to move the associated at least one conveyor section in a direction substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction. The conveyor further includes a controller operatively coupled to each drive for controlling operation of the drive and coordinating movement of the conveyor sections. A method for moving a conveyor in a surface mine generally includes sensing that a surface miner operable to deposit material onto the conveyor sections has moved beyond one of the conveyor sections, fixing a position relative to the surface mine of a conveyor translation device associated with one of the conveyor sections, and operating the conveyor translation device to move one of the conveyor sections in a direction substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a highwall mining system comprising: a cutterhead (2), a train of conveyor segments (6) connecting to the cutterhead (2), a base structure (5), and a gas guide (P1-P4) running from the base structure (5) to the cutterhead (2) for guiding inert gas to the environment of the cutterhead (2). The invention also relates to a conveyor segment (6) for use in a such a highwall mining system, and to a method for providing this highwall mining system.

Abstract: The present invention provides modified push beams for insertion and use in a series of push beams or segments during highwall mining operations to capture residual coal or “fines” that might otherwise be left behind. A first modified beam or recovery beam is provided to divert residual coal on the floor of the mine to the sides, and/or a second modified beam captures the residual coal on the sides of the mine, which may include the coal diverted by the first modified beam, through a side entry system comprising side channel(s) with side auger(s) to combine this captured residual coal with the bulk flow of mined material in a main channel of the recovery beam that is continuous among the series of beams or segments. Methods are also provided for the operation of the modified beams and their insertion into the series of beams of a highwall miner.

Abstract: A surface mining system for removing material from a mining face generally includes a conveyor extending substantially parallel to the mining face, a miner supported by and moveable along the conveyor, and a conveyor translation device associated with the conveyor and operable to move the conveyor and the miner toward the mining face. A method for advancing a surface mining longwall system generally includes moving the longwall shearer along a face conveyor, operating load translation devices to move the face conveyor and the longwall shearer toward the mining face, resetting a first group of load translation devices, and then resetting a second group of load translation devices. A load translation device generally includes an actuator, a ground drilling device coupled to and moveable with a portion of the actuator, and a frame coupled to and moveable with another portion of the actuator.

Abstract: In a method for milling an opencast mining surface or for milling off layers of an asphalt or concrete traffic surface with a milling machine removing the ground surface, by milling the ground surface along a predetermined milling track and by transporting the milled material via a conveying device to at least one container of a truck that travels along next to the milling machine, a relative position between the container and the conveying device is automatically controlled to regulate the loading of the container.

Abstract: A system and method for high wall bench mining, for example, of horizontal coal seams in mountains, includes a launch platform having two side-by-side tracks for guiding mining equipment, and utilizes two continuous miner machines and conveyor cars. Two side-by-side mine entries can be worked simultaneously, one miner advancing deeper into the coal seam and conveyor cars being added behind the miner at a first mine entry, and the mining completed and cars and miner retreating and being extracted from a second mine entry. As conveyor cars are being extracted onto one track from the mine entry that a string is retreating from, the cars are moved across the launch platform to the other track and are added behind the advancing miner machine launched from that track into the other mine entry.

Abstract: The invention provides for a launch vehicle for a mining system comprising a base frame provided with tracks, an upper frame rotatably connected to the base frame around a substantially vertical axis of rotation, a launch frame connecting to the upper frame, a crane unit and drive means for driving the tracks, the launch frame the crane unit, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A seafloor auxiliary mining tool for use in a seafloor mining system. The seafloor auxiliary mining tool has a seafloor locomotion system enabling traversal of the seafloor. Umbilical connections receive power and control signals from a surface source. A boom mounted auxiliary cutting tool is configured to cut extremities of a seafloor deposit. Cuttings produced by the auxiliary cutting tool are sized by sizing means, to ensure such cuttings are no greater than a desired size.

Abstract: In a self-propelled road milling machine for milling road surfaces comprising a milling roller housing arranged at the machine frame between the front and rear chassis axles, it is provided that the rear end, as seen in the direction of travel, of the milling roller housing is flush with a height adjustable stripper shield which laterally rests in the milling track of the milling roller and resiliently against a milling edge of the milling track extending orthogonally to the road surface.

Abstract: A material extraction system is provided for an underground mine. The mine includes a roadway entry and a draw-bell entry intersecting the roadway entry and affording access to a draw-bell. The system generally includes a loader movable from the roadway entry into the draw-bell entry for removing material from the draw-bell, a sizer coupled to the loader for sizing the removed material, and a material collector operable to collect the sized material. The material collector places the sized material at a substantially elevated position relative to a mine floor. A shuttle car is operable to receive the collected material from the material collector. The shuttle car is movable along the roadway entry for transferring the collected material so as to facilitate a substantially continuous extraction of the material.

Abstract: A surface mining system removes material from a surface mining block that has a substantially vertical and laterally extending mining face. The surface mining system generally includes a miner moveable in a lateral direction along the mining face, a face conveyor extending along the mining face, and conveyor translation devices associated with the face conveyor and operable to move the face conveyor toward the mining face as material is removed. The miner includes a rotating cutting member mounted to an end of a vertically ranging cutting arm and operable to remove material from the mining block. The face conveyor includes a discharge portion and is operable to convey material removed from the mining block toward the discharge portion. Each conveyor translation device includes a secured configuration substantially fixed with respect to the mining face and an unsecured configuration moveable with respect to the mining face.

Abstract: A loading arm assembly for directing material removed by a mining machining having a cutting head and a conveyor assembly includes one or more wear resistant plate assemblies at a terminal end of the loading arm. The wear resistant plate assembly includes a wear resistant plate arranged on a surface of arms of the loading arm assembly designed for directing the material to the conveyor. The assembly also has wear resistant inserts along a bottom surface of at least the arm end to protect the bottom surface of the arm from wear as well as the attachment of the wear resistant plate to the arm end.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel method of mining underground coal and recovering coal seam gas, the method including locating a seam of coal; digging a mine shaft to reach the seam of coal; constructing a ventilated underground control center which includes a computerized control panel, wherein the computerized control panel controls the movement of a drill head, a hollow drill shaft, a movable hydraulic shield, a movable resin roof bolting machine, and a movable waste extrusion device; providing mining personnel to the ventilated underground control center; wherein the mining personnel operate the computerized control panel to perform the tasks of moving the drill head into the seam of coal to obtain aggregate coal and coal seam gas; extruding waste material into mined-out space of the coal seam; and transferring the aggregate coal and coal seam gas to the surface of the earth.

Abstract: In a mining machine for the processing of a ground surface, including a machine frame, a cutting drum mounted in the machine frame, a first conveyor which accepts mining material from the cutting drum, and a second conveyor which accepts the mining material from the first conveyor, a grease tensioner is connected to an upper roller of the second conveyor. A grease feeding connection is accessible by a person standing on the ground and is communicated with the grease tensioner.

Abstract: A scraper device for a milling drum mounted in a construction machine at a machine frame between lateral walls with a milling drum axis, with a two-part scraper blade arranged in a height-adjustable fashion behind the milling drum when seen in the direction of travel, the lower part of which can glide over the ground surface milled off by the milling drum, where the lower part of the scraper blade is adjustable in height when in operating position, it is provided that the upper part of the scraper blade is attached, at the upper end, to swivel about a swivelling axis parallel to the axis of the milling drum.

Abstract: A material extraction system is provided for an underground mine. The mine includes a roadway entry and a draw-bell entry intersecting the roadway entry and affording access to a draw-bell. The system generally includes a loader movable from the roadway entry into the draw-bell entry for removing material from the draw-bell, a sizer coupled to the loader for sizing the removed material, a material collector operable to collect the sized material, and a shuttle car operable to receive the collected material from the material collector. The material collector has a loading end and a discharge end, and material transport device extending therebetween. The shuttle car is movable along the roadway entry for transferring the collected material so as to facilitate a substantially continuous extraction of the material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel method of mining underground coal and recovering coal seam gas, the method including locating a seam of coal; digging a mine shaft to reach the seam of coal; constructing a ventilated underground control center which includes a computerized control panel, wherein the computerized control panel controls the movement of a drill head, a hollow drill shaft, a movable hydraulic shield, a movable resin roof bolting machine, and a movable waste extrusion device; providing mining personnel to the ventilated underground control center; and allowing the mining personnel to operate the computerized control panel wherein they perform the tasks of moving the drill head into the seam of coal to obtain aggregate coal and coal seam gas; extruding waste material into mined-out space of the coal seam; and transferring the aggregate coal and coal seam gas to the surface of the earth.

Abstract: Staged crushing combined with water addition and mixing is practiced at the mine site to prepare an oil sand slurry ready for hydrotransport. More particularly, as-mined oil sand is crushed to conveyable size (e.g. ?24?) using a mobile crusher. The pre-crushed ore product is conveyed to a dry ore surge bin. Ore is withdrawn from the bin and elevated to the upper end of a slurry preparation tower having downwardly aligned process components to enable gravity feed. The ore is further crushed in stages to pumpable size (e.g. ?4?) by a stack of crushers and water is added during comminution. The ore and water are mixed in a mixing box and delivered to a pump box. The surge bin and tower are relocatable. Screening and oversize reject treatment have been eliminated to achieve compactness and enable relocatability.

Abstract: A mining machine for cutting material from a mine wall includes a cutting head that is movable to engage the mine wall, a vacuum duct positioned proximate the cutting head and including an inlet for receiving the material that is cut from the mine wall, and a sizer for reducing the size of material that passes into the vacuum duct, the sizer being positioned proximate the inlet.

Abstract: A bench mining method, particularly useful for open pit bench mining, which employs a combination of bulldozers and transversely movable apron feeders to provide the primary mechanism for removal of overburden.

Abstract: A conveyor system for an open pit mine may include one or more conveyor lines. The conveyor lines are used to transport material from one location in the mine to another location. The material transported may be a waste material, such as overburden material, or coal. The conveyor lines may move from a first end of the pit to a distal second end. When the conveyor lines reach the second end, they may reverse direction and return towards the first end. During this reversal in direction of travel, equipment may be selectively swapped between the conveyor lines. The conveyor lines may include at least one mobile bridge conveyor. Each mobile bridge conveyor may support one or more conveyors that transport the material.

Abstract: The invention provides for a launch vehicle for a mining system comprising a base frame provided with tracks, an upper frame rotatably connected to the base frame around a substantially vertical axis of rotation, a launch frame connecting to the upper frame, a crane unit and drive means for driving the tracks, the launch frame the crane unit, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Described herein is a method and system for classifying rock types in a rock body. The method comprises the steps of obtaining spectral data from a spectral measurement (202) of a surface region of the rock body and then determining a first spectral ratio between two wavelength bands of the spectral data. From the first spectral ratio it can be assessed (204) whether the measurement is a high-angle measurement, and if the measurement is not a high-angle measurement then a further spectral ratio between two further wavelength bands of the spectral data is determined (208). The further spectral ratio is then compared (210) with a corresponding diagnostic criterion to assess whether the surface region comprises a first rock type associated with the further spectral ratio and diagnostic criterion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel method of mining underground coal and recovering coal seam gas, the method including locating a seam of coal; digging a mine shaft to reach the seam of coal; constructing a ventilated underground control center which includes a computerized control panel, wherein the computerized control panel controls the movement of a drill head, a hollow drill shaft, a movable hydraulic shield, a movable resin roof bolting machine, and a movable waste extrusion device; providing mining personnel to the ventilated underground control center; and allowing the mining personnel to operate the computerized control panel wherein they perform the tasks of moving the drill head into the seam of coal to obtain aggregate coal and coal seam gas; extruding waste material into mined-out space of the coal seam; and transferring the aggregate coal and coal seam gas to the surface of the earth.

Abstract: A cutter head segment for use at the front of a train of conveyor segments for high wall mining includes at least one fluid transporter connected to a fluid distribution chamber. A pump segment for use in a train of conveyor segments for high wall mining as a segment following the cutter head segment is provided with a second fluid transporter and at least one front connector and at least one rear connector for connecting the second fluid transporter to adjacent fluid transporters. An assembly includes a cutter head segment and a pump segment, and a train of conveyor segments.