Mining system

Abstract

A mining system to convey mined materials (eg., coal) from a mining machine ( 10 ) to a remote location has a crushing unit ( 20 ) receiving the mined material from the mining machine ( 10 ) via a surge bin ( 21 ). The material is crushed and sized and mixed with water to form a slurry in a pumping unit ( 30 ). Slurry pipes ( 41 - 43 ) interconnect pumps ( 31 - 33 ) on the de-watering unit ( 50 ) to convey the slurry to the de-watering unit ( 50 ) from which it can be conveyed by fixed conveyors ( 60 ) to the remote location. The slurry pipes ( 41 - 43 ), and return water pipe(s) ( 51 ), have intermediate portions ( 41 a - 43 a ) suspended from a monorail ( 106 ) and/or mounted on a sled ( 206 ), and flexible end portions ( 41 - 43 a, 41 c - 43 c ) to allow advance off the mining machine ( 20 ) along gateroads ( 101 ) and/or crossroads ( 103 ) in the mine.

1 . A method for transferring mined material(s) from a mining face to a remote location, including the steps of: 
 a) crushing and/or sizing the mined material;    b) mixing the crushed/sized material with water to form a slurry;    c) pumping the slurry to the remote location through a plurality of flexible slurry pipes; and    d) de-watering the slurry to recover the mined material; and    e) returning the water for mixing with further mined material for step (b); wherein: 
 in step (b), the crushed/sized material is mixed and pumped by a pumping unit having at least one pump, the pump(s) being connected to at least one slurry pipe operable to convey the slurry to a de-watering unit at the remote location;  
 to effect step (e), a de-watering unit has one, or more, return water pipe(s) connected to the pumping unit where the crushed/sized material is mixed with the water to form the slurry of step (b); and  
 each slurry pipe and/or return water pipe has at least one flexible portion connected to the pumping unit and/or the de-watering unit to allow for advance of the pumping unit (with the advance of the mining machine) relative to the de-watering unit.  
   
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein: 
 the mined material is crushed and/or sized in a crushing unit having a surge hopper or bin to receive the mined material from a mining machine.  
 
     
     
         3 . A method a claimed in  claim 2  wherein: 
 the surge hopper or bin is dimensioned to receive 30 seconds to 5 minutes' output from the mining machine.  
 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  3  wherein: 
 the flexible portions include one or more coils, and/or concertina-like sections, supportable from a roof and/or walls of the mine by monorail(s).  
 
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 4  wherein: 
 the slurry pipe(s) and/or return water pipe(s) further include one or more rigid portions, which are suspended from the roof and/or walls of the mine.  
 
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 5  wherein: 
 additional flexible portions are interposed in the slurry pipe(s) and/or return water pipe(s) to accommodate further advance of the pumping unit (and mining machine) along gateroads and/or around corners into crossroads or cut-thru's in the mine.  
 
     
     
         7 . A method for transferring mined material(s) from a mining face to a remote location, including the steps of: 
 a) crushing and/or sizing the mined material;    b) mixing the crushed/sized material with water to form a slurry;    c) pumping the slurry to the remote location through one or more flexible slurry pipes;    d) de-watering the slurry to recover the mined material; and    e) returning the water through one or more return water pipes for mixing with further mined material for step (b); wherein: 
 the flexible portions including one or more coils, and/or concertina-like sections, supportable from a roof and/or walls of the mine by monorail(s).  
   
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in  claim 7  wherein: 
 the slurry pipe(s) and/or return water pipe(s) further include one or more rigid portions, which are suspended from the roof and/or walls of the mine.  
 
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 8  wherein: 
 additional flexible portions are interposed in the slurry pipe(s) and/or return water pipe(s) to accommodate further advance of the pumping unit (and mining machine) along gateroads and/or around corners into crossroads or cut-thru's in the mine.  
 
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in any one of  claims 7  to  9  wherein: 
 in step (b), the crushed/sized material is mixed and pumped by a pumping unit having at least one pump, the pump(s) being connected to at least one slurry pipe operable to convey the slurry to a de-watering unit at the remote location.  
 
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in any one of  claims 7  to  10  wherein: 
 to effect step (e), a de-watering unit has one, or more, return water pipe(s) connected to a pumping unit where the crushed/sized material is mixed with the water to form the slurry of step (b).  
 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus for transferring mined materials from a mining face to a remote location, including: 
 a crushing unit to receive the mined material from a mining machine at the mining face, and operable to crush and/or size the mined material;    a pumping unit to mix the crushed/sized material with water to form a slurry and having at least one pump;    a de-watering unit at the remote location to de-water the slurry to recover the mined material;    at least one slurry pipe interconnecting the pump(s) on the pumping unit to the de-watering unit and operable to convey the slurry therebetween; and    at least one return water pipe interconnecting the de-watering unit to the pumping unit and operable to return water to the pumping unit for mixing with further mined material;    each slurry pipe and/or return water pipe has at least one flexible portion connected to the pumping unit and/or to the de-watering unit to enable advance of the crushing unit and pumping unit, with the advance of the mining machine, relative to the de-watering unit, the flexible portion(s) includine one or more coils, and/or concertina-like sections, supportable from a roof and/or walls of the mine by monorail(s).    
     
     
         13 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein: 
 each slurry pipe and/or return water pipe includes one or more rigid portions suspended from the roof and/or walls of the mine.    
     
     
         14 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 13  wherein: 
 additional flexible portions are interposed in the slurry pipe(s) and/or return water pipe(s) to accommodate advance of the crushing unit, and the pumping unit, with the mining machine, along gateroads and/or around corners into cross-roads or cut-thru's in the mine.  
 
     
     
         15 . Apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 12  to  14 , wherein: 
 the crushing unit has a surge bin or hopper, dimensioned to receive 30 seconds to 5 minutes' output of the mined material from the mining machine.  
 
     
     
         16 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 15  wherein: 
 the mining machine, crushing unit and pumping unit are interconnected to advance simultaneously.  
 
     
     
         17 . Apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 12  to  16  wherein: 
 a respective slurry pipe interconnects each pump to the de-watering unit.  
 
     
     
         18 . Apparatus for transferring mined materials from a mining face to a remote location, including: 
 a crushing unit to receive the mined material from a mining machine at the mining face, and operable to crush and/or size the mined material;    a pumping unit to mix the crushed/sized material with water to form a slurry and having at least one pump;    a de-watering unit at the remote location to de-water the slurry to recover the mined material;    a plurality of slurry pipes interconnecting the pump(s) on the pumping unit to the de-watering unit and operable to convey the slurry therebetween, at least one return water pipe interconnecting the de-watering unit to the pumping unit and operable to return water to the pumping unit for mixing with further mined material; and    each slurry pipe and/or return water pipe has at least one flexible portion connected to the pumping unit and/or to the de-watering unit to enable advance of the crushing unit and pumping unit, with the advance of the mining machine, relative to the de-watering unit.    
     
     
         19 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 18  wherein: 
 the flexible portion(s) include one or more coils, and/or concertina-like sections, supportable from a roof and/or walls of the mine by monorail(s).  
 
     
     
         20 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 18  or  claim 19  wherein: 
 each slurry pipe and/or return water pipe includes one or more rigid portions suspended from the roof and/or walls of the mine.  
 
     
     
         21 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 20  wherein: 
 additional flexible portions are interposed in the slurry pipe(s) and/or return water pipe(s) to accommodate advance of the crushing unit, and the pumping unit, with the mining machine, along gateroads and/or around corners into cross-roads or cut-thru's in the mine.  
 
     
     
         22 . Apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 18  to  21 , wherein: 
 the crushing unit has a surge bin or hopper, dimensioned to receive 30 seconds to 50 minutes' output of the mined material from the mining machine.  
 
     
     
         23 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 22  wherein: 
 the mining machine, crushing unit and pumping unit are interconnected to advance simultaneously.  
 
     
     
         24 . Apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 18  to  23  wherein: 
 a respective slurry pipe interconnects each pump to the de-watering unit.  
 
     
     
         25 . Apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 12  to  24  wherein: 
 the crushing unit and the pumping unit are mounted on a single articulated chassis or frame.