Conglomerates, thick coals, and claystones: Underground mining in the soft rocks of the Newcastle coalfield
Dr Ross Seedsman
The Newcastle Coal Measures contain several very thick conglomerates, at least one thick coal seam where the development roof is coal, and several claystones with soil strengths. Optimizing mine layouts in these geological conditions has used a number of standard analytical tools from rock and soil mechanics in lieu of empirical and numerical methods. A number of case studies on mine design, subsidence, and roof support will be presented.
About the speaker
Dr Ross Seedsman Seedsman Geotechnics
Dr Ross Seedsman has consulted to the Australian coal mining industry for over 30 years and more recently to a number of mines in Colombia and Mongolia. His areas of expertise include ground control in underground mines, longwall mine planning, subsidence engineering and pit wall stability. He is an independent geotechnical reviewer for a major international mining house, and was invited by the SME to author the chapter on rock mechanics for the latest Mining Engineering Handbook.
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