Getting things done in a coal mine can’t be done randomly. A permit is needed, and a lot of heavy equipment needs to be used so that mining can go well and without problems.
Most of the time, the heavy machinery used is very big. Its goal is to make moving large amounts of heavy materials more accessible.
Here are some of the big machines used to mine coal and what they do:
1. Excavator
The excavator is a piece of heavy equipment that can be used in many ways and is an essential part of mining. Excavators get their power from diesel engines.
This heavy machinery has a bucket or a kind of basket that can dig into the ground, lift soil and rocks, and move them to other places.
The bucket on this excavator can be changed based on what needs to be done. There are three different kinds of excavators.
Standard Excavator
The weight of these excavators ranges from 10,000 kg to more than 90,00 kg. Standard excavators are good for moving things that are very big and heavy.
Midi Excavator
Excavators that weigh between 6,000 kg and 10,000 kg. It can be used in places with limited space, but it still takes more work, especially when moving things.
Mini Excavator
Mini excavators, which weigh less than 6,000 kg, are the smallest. Because it is small, this excavator is great for digging holes, removing soil and rocks, and taking things apart in small spaces.
2. Drilling Machine
A drilling machine is a large piece of equipment used to drill holes in the ground.
This tool is not only used in mining but also tunneling, drilling, and other projects.
There are at least three different kinds of drilling machines on the market, each with its uses and purposes. These drills have the following:
Single Boom Hydraulic Pilot Drill
This drill can be used for drilling projects, mining, and building underground tunnels.
Not only that, but this tool can also help people dig holes in the earth’s crust to get to metal deposits.
Double Boom Hydraulic Pilot Drill
This drilling machine is a different kind of drilling machine that can dig holes to the size and shape you want.
Because this machine has a unique hydraulic tool, it can be used for small and large-scale drilling. It can be used in mine tunnels, on highways, and trains.
Three Boom Hydraulic Pilot Drill
This model of a drill tool can be used to dig different kinds of holes, especially in mining and tunneling.
Most large-scale projects use this drilling machine because it can use explosives to drill deep into the ground without hurting the environment.
3. Dump Truck
A dump truck is a big truck that can carry lots of materials and move them to different places.
Most of the time, the things that are moved are sand, rocks, soil, gravel, or the result of the overhaul process. There are two different kinds of dump trucks:
Rigid Rear Dump Trucks
Most of the time, this dump truck is used in mining and quarrying. Most of the time, rigid rear dump trucks go with excavators, so don’t be surprised if they’re big so they can carry a lot of stuff.
Articulated Dump Trucks
This model of dump truck is used not only in mining but also in construction. Articulated dump trucks are significant but can be driven on any road.
4. Belt Conveyor
A belt conveyor is a big piece of mining equipment used often. Its job is to make moving things that have been taken out of the ground easier. Most of the time, things like sand, gravel, soil, and so on are moved.
Unlike the dump truck, the belt conveyor moves large amounts of material quickly. With the conveyor belt, mining works better and more efficiently.
This big machinery has many parts, such as a belt, an idler, a pulley, a control unit, and a holding structure.
5. Dragline
Dragline is used to dig up dirt and move it on trucks and other vehicles in mining areas. Draglines can do more than just digging holes in the ground. They can also remove soil and fill in holes.
A dragline is helpful because it doesn’t have to be put into the excavation to work. This tool can dig in wet and muddy places as long as it is placed in the right spot.
6. Wheel Loader
At first glance, this enormous piece of machinery looks like an excavator because it has a bucket on the front that is used to pick up materials in the mine and load them onto a truck.
But more material is taken, and even big rocks can be moved this way.
The wheel loader has forward tires so that it can move quickly over different surfaces.
7. Bulldozer
A bulldozer is a large piece of equipment that moves with the help of a chain wheel or a track shoe. This heavy equipment is used in mining sites to dig, push, level, and move soil, among other things.
The things attached to the bulldozer’s front help the crawler move things by being pushed. There are three different kinds of bulldozers.
Crawler Bulldozer
This bulldozer type is called a tractor bulldozer because it looks like a tractor. Crawler bulldozers are great for places with many people and uneven ground.
Wheel Bulldozer
This bulldozer type is more significant than the crawler bulldozer and moves on wheels instead of tracks.
It is also easier to move, which makes it a good choice for a place with soft, not-compacted soil that is sensitive to weight.
Mini Bulldozer
As the name suggests, this type of bulldozer is smaller than others. Because of this, mini bulldozers are often used for projects that need to move around a lot.
8. Bucket Wheel Excavator
Bucket wheel excavators, or BWEs as they are more commonly known, are large pieces of equipment used to dig up large amounts of material in open mining, such as coal mining.
Compared to other large pieces of heavy equipment, this one is very big. One of the most important parts of this bucket wheel excavator is a big, movable wheel on a big arm.
On the end of the wheel is a bucket with metal teeth that can be used to dig holes in the ground.
The wheel keeps turning, and the bucket keeps turning with it. Eventually, the excavated material will fall out of the bucket and onto the conveyor belt inside the BWE body.
BWE can dig up to 20,000 cubic meters per hour, which is about 7,000 tons per hour.
9. Roller
Heavy equipment like rollers can also be found in mining areas. This big piece of machinery is used to pack down the gravel, sand, and rocks on the soil’s surface so that vehicles and other big machinery can pass easily.
Rollers come in different types that can be changed to fit different needs.
Cylindrical Roller
This roller, in its class, is simple and light. It can be used by hand or with the help of horses or other animals.
Sheepsfoot Roller
The roller comprises a round or square iron drum with round or square protrusions. Attaching a ballast to the drum of this type of roller makes it heavier.
Smooth Wheelder Roller
A vast iron drum is on the front and back of this roller. Also, the weight can be anywhere from 2 to 10 tons, depending on the type of iron drum used.
And that was some of the big machinery used to mine coal. Using heavy equipment depends on the situation and what is needed.