ACARP Australian Coal Association Research Program Australian Roadway

ACARP Australian Coal Association Research Program Australian Roadway Development Improvement Project OPERATORS’ WORKSHOPS September 2007 ACARP Project C 15005

SAFETY ASPECTS OF VENUE § As advised by venue ACARP Project C 15005 2

OBJECTIVE AND FORMAT Provide a forum for roadway development operators to: § Learn of emerging best practice and roadway development initiatives § Learn of developments in equipment and technology § Network with peers, and share their experience and learnings (and not just their successes) § Identify areas for targeted research ACARP Project C 15005 3

FORMAT § A keynote presentation outlining learnings on process improvement from the manufacturing sector § 5 presentations by operators detailing current operational practice § A number of research and technology updates by researchers and OEMs § The presentations each comprise a 20 -25 minute presentation and a 15 -20 minute open forum for discussion and sharing of experiences and learnings § The research and technology updates are each about 20 minutes, and presenters will be available during breaks and at the end of the workshop to follow up on any of the developments § Workshop the functional specifications of a new generation high capacity mining system – CM 2010 R&D strategy § Conclude with a Workshop review to capture key findings, identify opportunities to improve the workshop process, and to identify presentations for future workshops § Workshop report with copies of presentations to be provided to all participants ACARP Project C 15005 4

INTRODUCTION Prerequisites for attendance: § A passion for roadway development, and § A willingness to participate in discussions and share experiences ACARP Project C 15005 5

ACARP Australian Coal Association Research Program Australian Roadway Development Improvement Project RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY September 2007 Glen Lewis, Xstrata Coal Bob Miller, Centennial Coal Guy Mitchell, BMA Coal ACARP Project C 15005

BARRIERS TO IMPROVED ROADWAY DEVELOPMENT PERFORMANCE § Barriers to improved roadway development performance were ranked by participants in the March 2007 Roadway Development Workshops § Participants also identified a number of potential solutions to overcome key barriers § The Roadway Development Task Group (RDTG) reviewed the top 10 barriers and solutions when formulating a roadway development improvement research strategy, and included a number of additional priorities ACARP Project C 15005 7

BARRIERS TO IMPROVED ROADWAY DEVELOPMENT PERFORMANCE Cutting and loading capacity of continuous miners, and its overall fitness for purpose Availability of continuous miner Speed and ease of operation of on-board bolting rigs Number and/or availability of on-board bolting rigs Extending the auxiliary ventilation system Capacity of shuttle car, diesel or battery hauler coal clearance system Availability of shuttle cars, diesel or battery haulers Shuttle car, diesel or battery hauler wheeling conditions Capacity and/or effectiveness of breaker feeders Delays in panel and outbye conveyor systems Ability to supply and maintain adequate ground support materials Environmental conditions in the immediate work area eg; noise, heat, humidity, dust, vibration, water make, floor conditions, etc Maintaining incombustible dust standards (stonedusting) Shift duration or roster conditions Ability to get on the job quickly Skill levels of operators and trades Manning levels and/or absenteeism Face supervision Planning and coordination Process monitoring and control ACARP Project C 15005 8

ROADWAY DEVELOPMENT R&D FUNDING PRIORITIES Barrier ACARP Project C 15005 Solution Ability to Develop Impact of Solution Value Factor R&D Expend 9

TOP 10 BARRIERS TO DEVELOPMENT 1. Availability of continuous miners 2. Speed and ease of operation of bolting rigs 3. Delays in panel and outbye conveyors 4. Skill level of operators and trades 5. Planning and coordination 6. Environmental conditions in the immediate work area 7. Number &/or availability of on-board bolting rigs 8. Cutting and loading capacity and fitness for purpose of CMs 9. Face supervision 10. Manning levels &/or absenteeism ACARP Project C 15005 10

OTHER ISSUES FROM RDTG § Mine planning § Software for planning and process simulation § Panel advances § Logistics and supply ACARP Project C 15005 11

ROADWAY DEVELOPMENT R&D STRATEGY - 04/07 § Immediate (1 year project) Ø “project management” systems for roadway development (including maintenance) Ø “fundamentals of roadway development” handbook Ø process model for development Ø management structure, style and skills; Ø functional specification for “CM 2010” § Medium term (2 -4 years) - “CM 2010 project” (similar to LW project) Ø Ø components that can be retrofitted to current generation machines automated bolting system alternate skin reinforcement and rib confinement services § Longer term (+5 years) - “continuous mining system” Ø integrated system incorporating cutting, loading, conveying, support, and logistics flowing on from CM 2010 project ACARP Project C 15005 12

RDTG RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACARP FUNDING 2007 § The RDTG has since recommended that ACARP also support key recommendations from the 2005 study that are the subject of current ACARP submissions, including development of: • A polymer based alternative skin reinforcement and confinement system - to eliminate the installation of steel mesh and, in conjunction with SDB, allow operators to be removed from the immediate face area while improving roadway development performance • An automated system for installing SDB and mesh, including an integrated logistics and materials handling system from the supplier to the face - to similarly remove operators from the immediate face and improve roadway development performance • A simulation model to enable the limitations of current development processes to be understood, and to evaluate potential roadway development technologies and practices before committing scarce resources to pursue development and/or conduct field trials • A handbook to capture the industry’s current “body of knowledge” of roadway development practice for future generations ACARP Project C 15005 13

BEYOND 2007 § The RDTG roadway development improvement strategy continues to evolve § Building upon 2005 recommendation for “step change” R&D, and with ongoing involvement of the industry through the operators’ workshops, the RDTG has established a vision for a “continuous mining system” capable of +10 MPOH for >20 hours per day § Fundamental to that vision is the development, by 2010, of a number of enabling technologies (CM 2010) that could subsequently be incorporated into a fully integrated continuous mining system, including (from the immediate face outbye): • Programmable, self steered, remotely supervised continuous miner • Automated installation of roof and rib supports, again remotely supervised • Continuous haulage • Integrated, continuously advancing panel services ACARP Project C 15005 14

CM 2010 § § To underpin the successful application of the CM 2010 technologies the complementary development of a number of key management capabilities is necessary, including: • Improved engineering availability • People behaviours and skills • Planning, organisation and process control The successful achievement of the vision will also require: • Project management of the ensuing R&D projects • Engagement of the corporate sector, OEMs, and mines ACARP Project C 15005 15

KEY ELEMENTS - CM 2010 R&D STRATEGY § The relationship between key elements of the Beyond 2007 R&D strategy is shown below (with apologies to M E Porter) ACARP Project C 15005 16

CM 2010 § While the scope and costing of R&D necessary to progress each of the outstanding key enabling technologies and management capabilities has not been completed, the reality is that the vision of a continuous mining system is unlikely to be achieved from within routine ACARP funding resources § The RDTG has recommended that ACARP provide similar treatment in respect to funding of the continuous mining system as provided to the Longwall Landmark project, and fund the roadway development improvement strategy outside the routine funding processes § In addition to funding that is currently provided and that recommended for funding in 2007, it is likely that the level of funding required to successfully implement and commercialise all elements of the strategy over the next 3 -5 years will be of the order of $5 -8 M ACARP Project C 15005 17

IN CONCLUSION § Over the next few months the RDTG will develop a detailed strategy for taking the CM 2010 project forward, including development of a functional specification for the system § Later today we will invite you to begin the process of developing a functional specification for a “continuous mining” roadway development system, a system that will enable new generation high capacity mines to be sustained, and also provide technologies and practices to allow earlier generation mines to remain competitive § Questions? ACARP Project C 15005 18

ACARP Australian Coal Association Research Program GETTING THE BEST POSSIBLE PERFORMANCE IN ROADWAY DEVELOPMENT - VALUABLE LEAN SIX SIGMA LESSONS FROM MANUFACTURING Greg West, Farthing West Pty Ltd ACARP Project C 15005

ACARP Australian Coal Association Research Program MAINTAINING PERFORMANCE WITH PROCESS CONTROL AND CREW MANAGEMENT DURING HIGH TURNOVER Glen Donnellan, Newlands North ACARP Project C 15005

ACARP Australian Coal Association Research Program MORNING TEA ACARP Project C 15005

ACARP Australian Coal Association Research Program SANDVIK ROADWAY DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS Rowan Melrose and Barry Wright, Sandvik ACARP Project C 15005

ACARP Australian Coal Association Research Program SELF DRILLING BOLT UPDATE Steve Weaver, Sandvik ACARP Project C 15005

ACARP Australian Coal Association Research Program SELF DRILLING BOLT UPDATE Peter Gray, Ground Support Services ACARP Project C 15005

ACARP Australian Coal Association Research Program THE KESTREL STORY Joe Luxford and others, Kestrel Coal ACARP Project C 15005

ACARP Australian Coal Association Research Program LUNCH ACARP Project C 15005

ACARP Australian Coal Association Research Program ROADWAY DEVELOPMENT AT AUSTAR Glenn Sobey, Austar Coal Mine ACARP Project C 15005

ACARP Australian Coal Association Research Program BENCHMARKING CONTINUOUS HAULAGE SYSTEMS AND DEVELOPMENTS AT BELTANA AND BLAKEFIELD David Gibson, Beltana ACARP Project C 15005

ACARP Australian Coal Association Research Program AFTERNOON TEA ACARP Project C 15005

ACARP Australian Coal Association Research Program FUTURE DIRECTIONS – CM 2010 PROJECT Glen Lewis, Xstrata Coal Bob Miller, Centennial Coal Guy Mitchell, BMA Coal ACARP Project C 15005

BEYOND 2007 § The RDTG vision is a “continuous mining system” capable of +10 MPOH for >20 hours per day § The key enabling technologies underpinning CM 2010 include: § • Programmable, self steered, remotely supervised continuous miner • Automated installation of roof and rib supports, again remotely supervised • Continuous haulage • Integrated, continuously advancing panel services Key management capabilities required to support achievement of CM 2010 include: • Improved engineering availability • Appropriate people behaviours and skills • Improved planning, organisation and process control ACARP Project C 15005 31

CM 2010 R&D STRATEGY ACARP Project C 15005 32

FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATION § § Syndicates of 5 -6 are requested to develop the basis of a functional specification for ONE (1) of the key enabling technologies or management capabilities identified over Syndicates have 30 minutes to prepare a dot point list detailing key aspects of the functional specification for presentation to the Workshop – overhead pens and slides to be provided A functional specification describes how a product will work entirely from the user's perspective. It doesn't care how the thing is built. It talks about features and specifies outputs A few hints: What is the operating scenario? What do you want it to do, or not do? Overview or flowchart of process Details, details Open issues ACARP Project C 15005 33

FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATION § Syndicate presentations ACARP Project C 15005 34

WORKSHOP CRITIQUE § What improvements could we make to the structure and format of the Workshop: § Suitability of location, venue and facilities? § Timing (eg; day of week, and actual times) § What issues should be the subject of future workshops? § Any volunteer presenters? § Anything else? ACARP Project C 15005 35

END OF WORKSHOP Thank you! Please join us for some for refreshments and further networking! ACARP Project C 15005 36