Underground » Mining Technology and Production
The Coal Augering R & D project has been progressing in excess of two years and has reached a point where it has proven the technical feasibility and practicalities of the concept and has identified a number of applications. The trials have been conducted using three proto-type machines capable of different applications, all based on the Augering concept. One of these applications identified is the replacement of conventional cut- throughs in whole or in part by augered holes in gateroad development. The next stage of this development requires the identification of the commercial viability and potential funding sources for continuation of the project.