Progress in the research and application of coal mining with stowing

The development and achievements of modern coal mining with stowing are discussed in this paper. The necessity of developing coal mining with stowing is briefly summarized and internal damage within the strata and external damage on surface induced by longwall working with caving are discussed. Technological features of coal mining with pneumatic stowing in Germany, and fully mechanised coal mining with solid dense stowing in China, are discussed. In German hard coal mining stowing technologies are for technical, infrastructural and economical reasons not applicable. The discussion includes the stowing material transportation system, the stowing machine, and processes at the face. Progressiveness and application universality of China’s fully mechanised coal mining with solid dense stowing are illustrated through practical examples with different conditions. Obviously, the fully mechanised coal mine with solid dense stowing can be improved by automaion systems. This paper discusses further developmental potential of the technology.