Advancing Tailgate Shortwall Ventilation In Underground Trona Mining

As productivity improvements reduced the number of continuous miner sections from seven to three while maintaining full productive capacity, a decision was made to test an advancing tailgate ventilation system on the shortwall mining section. Having the shortwall mine its own return air system has freed the third mining section for more productive, less costly mining. The advancing tailgate has provided effective ventilation across the face and gob with acceptable pressure losses. The tailgate development continuous miner section has been since transformed from a low productivity part-time function to a high productivity development/retreat panel and is available for long term mine development duties also.