This unique volume imparts practical information on the operation, maintenance, and modernization of heavy performance machines such as lignite mine machines, bucket wheel excavators, and spreaders. Problems of large scale machines (mega machines) are highly specific and not well recognized in the common mechanical engineering environment. Prof. Rusiński and his co-authors identify solutions that increase the durability of these machines as well as discuss methods of failure analysis and technical condition assessment procedures. "Surface Mining Machines: Problems in Maintenance and Modernization" stands as a much-needed guidebook for engineers facing the particular challenges of heavy performance machines and offers a distinct and interesting demonstration of scale-up issues for researchers and scientists from across the fields of machine design and mechanical engineering.

Western Kentucky represented, in the time period covered by this book from the 1950s-80s, the bulk of coal mining in North America. Attributed to in John Prine’s famous song “Paradise,” Muhlenberg County is home to Kentucky's first commercial coal mine named the McLean Drift Bank. At one point, Muhlenberg County produced more coal than any county, state, or country as the largest producer of coal in the world. The massive mining machines documented herein show how this was possible through vintage and colorful photography. Production statistics are detailed for each piece of equipment, laced with historical facts and stories about the mines and mining companies that operated them. Includes a rare look at some of the old draglines that have been re-started and are digging in Western Kentucky once again thanks to new technology.

Coal will continue to provide a major portion of energy requirements in the United States for at least the next several decades. It is imperative that accurate information describing the amount, location, and quality of the coal resources and reserves be available to fulfill energy needs. It is also important that the United States extract its coal resources efficiently, safely, and in an environmentally responsible manner. A renewed focus on federal support for coal-related research, coordinated across agencies and with the active participation of the states and industrial sector, is a critical element for each of these requirements. Coal focuses on the research and development needs and priorities in the areas of coal resource and reserve assessments, coal mining and processing, transportation of coal and coal products, and coal utilization.

This SME classic is both a reference book for the working engineer and a textbook for the mining student. This hardcover edition gives a brief history of surface mining and a general overview of the state of surface mining today--topics range from production and productivity to technological developments and trends in equipment. This extremely useful text takes the approach that exploration and mining geologists must be expert in a number of fields, including basic finance and economics, logistics, and pragmatic prospecting. Readers will find material on all these topics and more. The book's nine chapters include: Introduction, Exploration and Geology Techniques, Ore Reserve Estimation, Feasibility Studies and Project Financing, Planning and Design of Surface Mines, Mine Operations, Mine Capital and Operating Costs, Management and Organization, and Case Studies. The book is fully indexed.

Quarrying and all other branches of surface mining rather than diminishing in importance have become of more and more consequence economically, industrially and particularly with the depletion of high-grade deep-mined mineral reserves. Low-grade minerals require low cost extraction and this in many cases necessitates very expensive mechanized equipment with the cost of individual units running into millions of pounds in the case of large scale operations with high productivity. There has been, and there still is, a tendency for the smaller single quarries to be amalgamated into groups with large financial resources and therefore with the ability to purchase these expensive machines so necessary to make operations viable. This in turn requires wider administrative and technical knowledge in executives of these groups and as these often handle a wide range of products from widely differing systems of working, this technical knowledge should embrace the exploitation of many different types of deposits. There is, at present, a great dearth throughout the world of such qualified executives as is apparent from advertisements of vacancies in the technical press. It would appear that these industries offer an attractive career to the widely qualified and experienced technologist in these fields. This book deals with methods of working in the surface extractive indus tries, quarry management and power supply-but does not deal with related ancillary processes except where these affect quarrying operations.

Beginning in 1884 with a prototype steam shovel, Marion went on to produce massive stripping shovels and walking draglines used in surface mining, as well as conventional shovels and dredges.View handpicked photographs from the Archives of the Historical Construction Equipment Association augmented with authoritative captions that highlight Marion's innovations through the years. Includes a concise corporate history of the Marion Power Shovel Company.

This edited volume includes all papers presented at the 22nd International Conference on Mine Planning and Equipment Selection (MPES), Dresden, Germany, 2013. Mineral Resources are needed for almost all processes of modern life, whilst the mining industry is facing strict requirements regarding efficiency and sustainability. The research papers in this volume deal with the latest developments and research results in the fields of mining, machinery, automatization and environment protection.