The escalating worldwide demand for energy has had the effect, among other things, of promoting the development of coal mining. In some countries specialist design offices were set up and students trained as specialists in mine design and construction. Poland, a country having mining traditions stretching over many centuries, is a good example, and has gained a place in the forefront, not only as a coal producer and exporter, but also as an originator and exporter of technical mining know-how. The author of this book has himself had 25 years of practical experience in mine design, in the supervision of mining investment implementation both at home and abroad, and also in directing the activities of the Chief Mine Design and Studies Office in Poland, plus more than 20 years' teaching experience in the training of mining engineers, in particular as head of the Mine Design Department of the Mining Faculty at the Silesian Polytechnic University in Gliwice. This vast wealth of experience has prompted him to write the present book which discusses the basic problems met with in the design of underground hard-coal mines.The author's primary aim has been to deal with all those questions in mine design which have not yet been answered in mining textbooks and which, from his own personal experience, he considers to be of importance. Accordingly, he presents the general principles governing the design of new mines and the reconstruction of working mines, the development of mining regions, the design of coal-preparation plant, and energy economy in mines. Making use of the broad experience gained by the Polish mining industry in the implementation of mining investment projects, he has quoted several examples of technical and organizational solutions which effectively shorten the mine construction cycle.The book is addressed chiefly to investors and engineers engaged in preparing plans for the development of mining regions, for the construction of new mines, and the reconstruction of existing mines and preparation plants, as well as to students in mining departments of technical schools and universities. The information offered here is of great practical value and may well stimulate the development of new ideas for design and implementation concepts.

Changes in size and power of available mining transport equipment, combined with improved means of control involving leaky feeder radio and computers, demands a new look at the problem of mine winding and transport. Such changes require the traditional mining engineer to have a much greater engineering application. This book is intended to satisfy that requirement.All the important means of transporting operatives and minerals are addressed, both below ground and on the surface. Safe, speedy and economic transport from the point of mineral extraction to leaving the mine is paramount. This work covers all aspects of the problem including: (1) the design and application of steel wire ropes to a variety of industrial applications, and the various drums and pulleys necessary; (2) a ready means of calculating output/throughput of various transport modes, and relating such to their power requirement; and (3) information on transport modes that enables the most suitable system for given conditions to be determined.A ``first principle'' approach has been adopted throughout, and extensive use of practical examples allows the solution of virtually all associated problems. Although formulae are used where necessary for an understanding of the content, the numerous tables included enable the practicing engineer to make short cuts to more quickly solve particular problems. In addition, the provision of a considerable number of operational constants, many not previously published, enable a more speedy and accurate solution to be effected. By comparing the calculated solutions to a particular problem, the most economic transport mode may be determined.Mining, mechanical and electrical engineers concerned with the safe movement of men or material will find this book of particular use, as will the student preparing for examinations on the subject.

Jointly sponsored by the China University of Mining and Technology and the University of Nottingham, UK, a total of 187 papers have been included in the proceedings, of which fifty-two are contributed by authors outside of China. Scholars and experts from both China and abroad discuss and exchange information on the latest developments in mining science and technology worldwide, which cover extensive areas ranging from mine operation and safety technology, geology and methane drainage, geomechanics, mine construction and tunnelling, mineral processing and clean coal technology, mine control and automation to mine environment, mine economics and management.

Both mining and electrical engineers need to bear in mind the following specific requirements of electrical applications in mining. 1) Economy of electrical plant and equipment in relation to the cost price of the extracted mineral ores, governed by the specific exploitation conditions, 2) Reliability of electrical plant and equipment for extractive operations, operational efficiency, and plant and personnel safety. 3) Special safeguards to counteract the additional hazards posed by the use of electric power, and by electrical phenomena in general. The book has been written along these lines, dealing with those topics which highlight the aspects of electrical engineering of relevance for mining engineers and aspects of mining operations that electrical engineers need, to meet the above-mentioned basic requirements governing the introduction and use of electrical plants and systems in mines.This book is intended as a text book and will be of use to students, and colleges as well as to mining and electrical engineers.

A collection of symposium papers covering all major aspects of mining and related disciplines. Topics include: mining science; environmental and safety technology; mine control; antomation and mechanization; mining geomechanics; mine construction and engineering; and coal processing.

Using a model of the civilizational construction of science, the author views science without Eurocentric blinders. She shows how science was built by transfers from non-European groups and why the historiography of science has to be rethought.