Project summary
The primary objective of proposed project is to demonstrate Hydro Borehole Mining Technology and develop prototype, novel hydro-mining tool, which will contribute to the competitiveness of brown coal excavation techniques worldwide and address such environmental hazards during and after mine operation like: storage of waste material from overburden removal, preventing the ground level subsidence, keeping undisturbed the level of potable water resources in the ground. The project aims to: investigate the potential for implementation of hydro borehole brown coal mining technology in the industrial scale, analyze the roof stability using the backfilling, calculate its economics, determine environmental impacts and risks. HydroCOAL Plus project’s objectives drew attention of the largest European brown coal producers like: Polish Energy Group Mining and Conventional Power Generation joint stock company (PGE GiEK), Czech Severočeské doly a.s. (SD), which confirm pertinence and importance for the industry of project aspects. Above partnership guaranties direct dissemination of project results among leading European industrial partners. HBM-technology is considered to be applicable in deposits, which are either sterilized due to environmental concerns, unmined due to mine design limitations and mine closure requirements and what is even more common – in numerous cases, where significant brown coal deposits are covered by previously removed overburden. HBM technology has a number of advantages comparing with conventional opencast mining in such domains like: safety- it practically excludes human from the coal extraction process, minimal environmental impact, small work force, selectivity, low capital and operating costs, universal applicability. Above advantages provide HBM technology highest level of innovative value in coal mining – largest European brown coal producers confirm this.
