Mining of Coal Pillars Using the Drilling Method

An assessment of possibilities of utilizing other coal mining methods not used yet under conditions of rock and gas outburst hazard in the Ostrava-Karvina Coalfield (henceforth referred to as OKR) in the Czech Republic is one of outputs of the research project "Protection of Employees against Consequences of Rock and Gas Outbursts". These methods were to supplement a single method that had been in common use by then - longwall mining along the strike, and were to ensure the better recovery of coal reserves [1]. Specifically, it was the case of mining of residual pillars blocking a considerable quantity of coal. What was chosen was a promising mining method utilising long large diameter boreholes. In the article the experience of application of this mining method abroad as well as under conditions of OKR in seams with a hazard of rock and gas outbursts is presented.