Many studies have been carried out and many commercial software applications have been developed to improve the performances of surface mining operations, especially for the loader-trucks cycle of surface mining. However, there have been quite few studies aiming to improve the mining process of underground mines. In underground mines, mobile mining equipment is mostly scheduled instinctively, w...

This paper describes the effects of igneous intrusions on pore structure and adsorption capacity of the Permian coals in the Huaibei Coalfield, China. Twelve coal samples were obtained at different distances from a ~120 m extremely thick sill. Comparisons were made between unaltered and heat-affected coals using geochemical data, pore-fracture characteristics, and adsorption properties. Thermal...

Background: Occupational accidents cause death and disabilities among millions of workers around the world. The mining industry is among the riskiest occupations in this respect. This study aims to investigate interventions made and challenges faced by the health system in response to the Zemestan-Yurt Mine explosion in the Golestan Province, Iran, 2017. Materials and Methods: In this article,...

Since the first record of a colliery explosion in Belgium, nearly 300 years ago, significant improvements have been achieved in the prevention of explosions in mines. However, based on the past surface TBM project safety statistics, gas explosion hazards are not unique to coal mines but also occur in TBM projects with 48 explosion fatalities recorded worldwide calling for continued diligence an...

Coal dust explosions in underground coal mines are pre­ vented by a generous application of rock dust (usually lime­ stone). If an explosion should occur, the rock dust disperses, mixes with the coal dust and prevents fl ame propagation by acting as a thermal inhibitor or heat sink. To investigate this process in more detail, a number of ex­ plosion experiments using various coal dust and limes...

The Protein Data Bank Japan (PDBj), a member of the worldwide Protein Data Bank (wwPDB), accepts and processes the deposited data of experimentally determined biological macromolecular structures. In addition to archiving the PDB data in collaboration with the other wwPDB partners, PDBj also provides a wide range of original and unique services and tools, which are continuously improved and upd...

The risk of heat exhaustion at a deep underground metalliferous mine was assessed in relation to thermal conditions prevailing on the surface. For each day of a 1-year prospective case series of heat exhaustion, surface 24-h mean wet and dry bulb temperatures were recorded. From this data, 24-h mean wet bulb globe temperatures were derived using certain assumptions. The three surface temperatur...