Potential use of high-density backfill in Illinois Basin room-and-pillar coal mines
The use of paste backfill in room-and-pillar coal mines in the United States needs to be fully investigated. This paper discusses a series of physical tests that were conducted to examine the support benefits of theoretical paste backfill regimens in Illinois Basin room-and-pillar coal mines, which...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration
2014
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/58014 |
| _version_ | 1848760155589574656 |
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| author | Spearing, Sam Benton, D. Kostecki, T. Hirschi, J. |
| author_facet | Spearing, Sam Benton, D. Kostecki, T. Hirschi, J. |
| author_sort | Spearing, Sam |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The use of paste backfill in room-and-pillar coal mines in the United States needs to be fully investigated. This paper discusses a series of physical tests that were conducted to examine the support benefits of theoretical paste backfill regimens in Illinois Basin room-and-pillar coal mines, which necessarily included consideration of weak floor conditions. The series of tests included those simulating strong floor conditions, weak floor conditions, under-confined scenarios, and testing of actual coal-based paste backfill samples. The testing indicated that a paste backfill regimen utilizing a minimum backfill strength of 22 psi at a minimum fill height of 50% of pillar height could significantly increase the longterm stability of coal pillars in the Illinois Basin. Considering typical coal wash plant recoveries, 50% fill would be feasible. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:11:17Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-58014 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:11:17Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publisher | Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-580142017-11-20T08:50:02Z Potential use of high-density backfill in Illinois Basin room-and-pillar coal mines Spearing, Sam Benton, D. Kostecki, T. Hirschi, J. The use of paste backfill in room-and-pillar coal mines in the United States needs to be fully investigated. This paper discusses a series of physical tests that were conducted to examine the support benefits of theoretical paste backfill regimens in Illinois Basin room-and-pillar coal mines, which necessarily included consideration of weak floor conditions. The series of tests included those simulating strong floor conditions, weak floor conditions, under-confined scenarios, and testing of actual coal-based paste backfill samples. The testing indicated that a paste backfill regimen utilizing a minimum backfill strength of 22 psi at a minimum fill height of 50% of pillar height could significantly increase the longterm stability of coal pillars in the Illinois Basin. Considering typical coal wash plant recoveries, 50% fill would be feasible. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/58014 Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration restricted |
| spellingShingle | Spearing, Sam Benton, D. Kostecki, T. Hirschi, J. Potential use of high-density backfill in Illinois Basin room-and-pillar coal mines |
| title | Potential use of high-density backfill in Illinois Basin room-and-pillar coal mines |
| title_full | Potential use of high-density backfill in Illinois Basin room-and-pillar coal mines |
| title_fullStr | Potential use of high-density backfill in Illinois Basin room-and-pillar coal mines |
| title_full_unstemmed | Potential use of high-density backfill in Illinois Basin room-and-pillar coal mines |
| title_short | Potential use of high-density backfill in Illinois Basin room-and-pillar coal mines |
| title_sort | potential use of high-density backfill in illinois basin room-and-pillar coal mines |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/58014 |