Page 329 - Advances In Productive, Safe, and Responsible Coal Mining

The role of research in the coal-mining industry: Moving forward using lessons from the past 305

Applying this theory to advancing productive, safe, and responsible coal mining, it
is assumed that physical coal resources are finite. Companies compete with each other
for ownership of those resources, but for the industry as a whole, they are a constant.
That leaves technology as the most important determinant of industry growth or
advancement. In fact, technology can define or redefine the physical resource com-
ponent of wealth. The reason why research is so important is that research is what
drives technology development.
There are many ideas about what constitutes research. For the purposes of this dis-
cussion, research is considered to be the systematic investigation of theories and con-
cepts OR the creative exploration of ideas that, when engaged in, increases the body of
knowledge (what we know) concerning a particular subject matter. Research not only
formulates new knowledge, but it also develops ways to apply that knowledge. Hence,
research and development are often used together. Without research, the technology
needed to advance the coal-mining industry would not exist. And without the devel-
opment of new or improved technology, it is difficult, if not impossible, to advance
productive, safe, and responsible coal mining.

15.3 Major accomplishments in coal research

15.3.1 Coal mining has become more productive
Mechanization has been at the center of research and development efforts to improve
mine productivity. Other than pack animals employed to haul loaded coal out of
mines, coal mining prior to early in the 20th century consisted entirely of backbreak-
ing manual labor. Inventors such as Henry Harnischfeger, Joseph Joy, and Joannes
Montabert led the way in pursuing technology to make coal mining more productive.
Harnischfeger built large earthmoving machines such as shovels and draglines used in
surface mines. Joy’s inventions included the shuttle car, the continuous miner, and the
longwall shearer used in underground mines. Montabert developed pneumatic drilling
and rock-breaking equipment used in both surface and underground mines. Using
these machines, one miner could do the work of 100 miners without them.
Rather than conducting a variety of laboratory experiments, research for these men
and the companies they founded consisted of fabricating prototypes based on ideas
they had for different types of equipment. Prototype machines may have been checked
out for operability, but the only place for real, true testing was in the mine. This was a
tedious and expensive process; however, when they came up with something that
worked, the benefits in terms of increased productivity were enormous. Development
of faster, stronger, easier-to-operate equipment is ongoing within research and devel-
opment groups of equipment manufacturing companies.
The mining process consists of repetitiously performing a number of tasks. Each
task is performed in a certain sequence or cycle, the collection of which makes up
the overall production cycle. In some cases, mechanization led to one machine
accomplishing several tasks simultaneously, thereby eliminating one or more tasks
or cycles. For example, the continuous miner performs cutting and loading functions