Following a conventional cut with a shearer to about 3 m (9.8 ft) the roof supports move forward and allow the caving of the top coal behind the roof supports a second conveyor mounted gob-side. This special LTCC method enables increased coal reserve recovery for only an incremental additional cost. This animation shows how it works. | Online Mining Exam

The long wall excavation method in mining is a highly efficient technique primarily used in coal mining, involving the full extraction of large rectangular coal blocks in a continuous operation. Using a long wall face, typically 100 to 300 meters long, hydraulic roof supports, or shields, hold up the mine roof while a shearer or plow cuts the coal. The coal is transported to the surface via a conveyor belt. As the shearer advances, the supports move forward, allowing controlled roof collapse, kn