Do you envision shovels and pick axes when you picture mining?  Think again. The mining profession has evolved over the years, utilizing innovative machinery that demands highly skilled mining operators. 

Eighty-eight percent of our coal is produced using longwall mining. Longwall systems have their own hydraulic roof supports for overlying rock that advance with the machine as mining progresses. Rock that is no longer supported by the coal that has been removed is allowed to fall behind the operation in a controlled manner.

This technical system uses a shearer that cuts 1,000 feet of coal into a single slice around one-two meters thick. Sensors detect how much coal remains in the seam while robotic controls enhance efficiency. The coal then falls onto a conveyor belt that transports it to a preparation plant for cleaning and distribution. 

An integral part of the longwall mining process is the continuous mining machines. These units are used to carve out the longwall panels by driving “entries” into the coal seam. Entries are tunnels that crisscross an underground mine, providing access for miners and equipment, streams of air for ventilation purposes, the dimensions of longwall panels and escape routes.

At certain CONSOL Energy and contract mines, traditional surface mining techniques using small stripping shovels, front-end loaders and dump trucks mine coal along ridge tops and transport it to preparation facilities. Most of these operations are located in central and southern West Virginia, eastern Kentucky and southwest Virginia.

To learn the methods each of our mines employ click here.