Underground » Ventilation, Gas Drainage and Monitoring
In February 2002 a survey result was presented at a workshop in Wollongong on ACARP Outburst Research Needs. The workshopconfirmed a strong desire by the coal industry to establish an Internet-based information management system, a gateway, on outbursts of gas and coal in underground coal mines. Subsequently, ACARP funded the construction of the website on coal and gas outburst, specifically focused on the Australian incidences and experiences.
The primary objective of this project was to develop an online coal mine outburst information management system to provide the coal mining industry with the necessary information and knowledge on outbursts via the World Wide Web.
The Website has been constructed using the standard web format. Access to the site is by standard web browsers. The address of the site is http://www.uow.edu.au/eng/outburst. A standard design template has been developed and incorporated onto each page of the site to maintain consistency and ease of use.
The sharing of experience and knowledge from each mine will assist in positive outcomes through outburst prevention and management strategies. This is exemplified in the Central Colliery mine where practices have been affected through awareness training programs and operational practices based on the West Cliff Colliery outburst experience.
Some of the information and attributes of the system include:
- Easy access and navigation.
- Outburst management that includes prediction, prevention and control.
- Relationship between geological structures and outburst events.
- In-seam drilling techniques.
- Gas drainage and gas utilisation.
- Literature on outburst.
- Links to various PowerPoint presentations from seminars held regularly in Wollongong and Mackay.
- Links to international websites providing additional information sources.
The website dynamically manages both historical and current experience and knowledge of Australian and worldwide coal mine outbursts. The online discussion forum adds value to the website through improved communication and will provide networking opportunities for industry practitioners. The website also includes a ‘Feedback’ link for users to add or comment on resources.
According to the UOW website statistics, the site registered on average about 400 visits a month between April 2006 and March 2007. The visitors were from Australia as well as overseas. The site visitors in March 2007 included people from Belgium, Canada, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, the Slovak Republic, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, USA.
A new portal called “Coal Mining Science and Technology”, located at www.research.uow.edu.au/coal, has been launched, which acts as an umbrella containing all the UOW mining websites.
The establishment of the outburst website is an essentail tool for the mining community, particularly those in remote regions. The website has;
- 85 conference papers which were held in Australia, dating as far back as the 1980’s,
- various seminar presentations,
- more than 250 references,
- a limited but important collection of international papers,
- direct links to ACARP and NERRDC publication lists,
- links to several leading organisations of particular interest in mine gas and outburst control. These links include both private and government organisations, and
- a forum for discussion.
The development team is committed to maintaining the website for the foreseeable alongside with other mining related sites maintained by the university and as listed in the Mining Science and Technology template.