3.6K views · 173 reactions | Longwall mining is a highly productive...

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