Coal seam drainage enhancement using borehole presplitting basting technology - A case study in Huainan

Xinji No. 2 underground coal mine extracts the coal seams #4 and #5. These two seams are highly gassy and gas drainage is required to control mine gas emission and reduce outburst risk. Because the seam permeability coefficient is very low and around 0.1 m2/(MPa2·d), a number of technologies have been trialled to enhance the seam permeability prior to gas drainage. Of these technologies trialled, the deep borehole presplitting blasting technology has been proven to be quite effective in increasing permeability. In Xinji No. 2 mine it doubled or sometimes tripled gas drainage volume. This paper describes the technology, its application in the enhancement of seam permeability in Xinji No. 2 coal mine, and its effect on gas drainage performance.