Underground Mining

About Underground Mining

3 Main Underground Mine was commissioned in 2005 and is classified as a “fiery mine” due to the presence of naturally occurring methane. Due to the hazards associated with underground coal mining, safety is our core value and takes precedence to everything we do. The mine has a good safety record and has not recorded any fatality since inception.
The mine is located in the 3 Main reserve block which sits in the central part of the Hwange Coalfield. The 3 Main reserve block is estimated to have about 40 million tonnes of mineable coking coal. The mining method employed is the bord and pillar using the continuous miner technology. In principle, the method involves cutting out coal from the seam leaving roads(bords) from which coal would have been extracted and the pillars left unmined to support the roof of the roadways.

The mine is currently running one section using the Joy 12HM31 continuous miner. The continuous miner cuts and load coal onto three 20 ton each shuttle cars which in turn transport the coal to a feeder breaker for crushing before discharging onto a conveyor network which runs from the underground mining section to a stock pile on surface. The mining roadways are supported by roofbolts to prevent rock falls. The Rham roof bolter is used for this support work. All these underground machines are electrically driven and flameproof for enviromental and safety reasons. Other ancillary equipment are the LHD and MPV for cleaning mined roadways and personnel/material transportation respectively. Other activities such as mine ventilation, water pumping are also done to sustain and create a workable environment.
The department boasts of a variety of professionals of diverse cultures and different fields of expertise who are directly and indirectly related to the mining of coking coal.

UNDERGROUND SERVICES

  • Mining coking coal for the coke oven batteries.
  • Mine rescue services (PROTO).

    • SOCIAL
    RESPONSIBILITY

  • Rehabilitation of the canal for management of water drainage into the compound
  • Fire safety awareness in the compound and schools.

    • NEW TRENDS AND CURRENT PROJECTS

  • Recapitalising from 1 CM to 3 CM section
  • Infrastructure upgrading
  • Construction of refugee bay
  • Entrance shaft supporting

    • Team

    Mr. M Nyathi
    Act. Underground Mine Manager

    Back Row
    Eng. Judah Tsuro,   Dick Phiri,   Johnson Maligali

    Front Row
    Diyoni Papayi,   Garikai Sigauke,   Talent Pedzisai,   Tawanda Chibaya,   Elliot Ncube

    Underground Mining Documents

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