Mexico opts for know-how from RAG

Experts from RAG have been contracted by Bucyrus DBT Europe GmbH to provide technical support for the Mimosa 6 coal mine that is operated by the Minerales Monclova company in Mexico. Their main remit was to achieve optimised performance from the new coal plough system that is being used for the first time at Mimosa 6 mine.

The colliery, which is located in the northern province of Coahuila, is one of a group of seven deep mines. Coal mining has a long tradition in this area and the workings are currently at a depth of some 280 metres. Access is via an inclined drift. Where the face is currently being worked the seam is about 1.5 metres in thickness. This differs markedly from earlier production faces, which were some 2.3 metres thick. Drum shearers were used on the previous production units, whereas a Bucyrus DBT plough installation has been chosen for the current operation. The surrounding rock beds and fault tectonics pose a number of challenges for the operators.

Access via a sloping drift:
Mimosa 6 colliery in the Mexican province of Coahuila.

In order to achieve a sustainable improvement in performance the mine operators and on-site experts from Bucyrus decided to buy-in the know-how and experience that RAG has acquired from operating plough faces under difficult geological and geotechnical conditions. The contract as presented to an expert team from RAG, which was headed by the experienced project engineer Norbert Katthöfer of Bucyrus DBT Europe GmbH, reads as follows: analysis and development of a raft of measures designed to optimise an active coal-plough face, including consultation and technical instruction on the operational aspects of stripping winning at the coal face.

The project was carried out by Dr Holger Witthaus of the mining technology division and Fasto Nuzzo, an experienced district overman from Ost colliery. Working closely together these two engineers were able to identify a broad spectrum of actions, ranging from the transfer of operating experience on winning methods to the instruction of face teams and advice on rock mechanics and support technology. The two-man team soon proved to be a big hit on all levels.

Long-term performance improvements can only be achieved through good teamwork between the colliery, the manufacturers and the consultants. Colliery managers and specialist engineers worked alongside Bucyrus and RAG personnel and together were able to analyse the problems and draw up an appropriate response. The result was a number of operational and organisational improvements designed to yield better performance and within a short period of time the various priorities identified by the team yielded success. The colliery production team’s enthusiasm was also fired up and this was translated into sustainable performance improvements: in the first week after the experts had completed their work on site the face crew – operating alone – went on to set a new production record.

Working as a team (from left): Dr Holger Witthaus,
Fausto Nuzzo and Norbert Katthöfer.

As the client was extremely positive about the work carried out by RAG it was hardly surprising that further support was requested. The highly experienced team sent out from Prosper-Haniel colliery, namely senior face-man Martin Hartmann and district overman (winning) Martin Leschinski, were able to build on what had already been achieved and succeeded in introducing further production improvements at the coal face. This was a success story that benefited everyone concerned: the colliery managed to stabilise production levels and secure opportunities for the future, the manufacturers were able to demonstrate the efficiency of the coal plough system to operators in Central America and RAG was given another opportunity to prove its competence as a global leader in mining technology – while the personal experience of the employees involved was further enriched by a most valuable secondment.

Source: Steinkohle, the staff magazine of RAG Aktiengesellschaft, 09/2008

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