Hybrid opencast/underground process to mine Kuzbass coal deposits

Abstract

Modular technological structures of mine sites adapted to hybrid coal mining technologies in Kuzbass, protected by the Russian Federation patents are proposed. These intangible assets are of particular value to business community focused on research and commercialization of the results of intellectual activity. Therefore, the intellectual property can be considered as a promising credit instrument in the scientific concept of "intellectual underground mine of coal opencast". High efficiency of the hybrid method for development of coal seams exceeds the average profit in Kuzbass by 1.5 times. In the long term, the unmanned Highwall geotechnology is considered as an intermediate stage of the hybrid mining method, Highwall mining technology is a fully autonomous, mobile, high-performance and economic coal mining system that allows fully mechanized underground mining at an opencast.