MECHANIZATION OF UNDERGROUND COAL INCREASES IN USSR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380783-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 9, 2011
• Sequence Number: 783
• Publication Date: April 12, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380783-1
1
CLASSIFICATION CORD'IDSLPrIAT~~~I,'~~~~~~~~6~~
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD NO.
SUBJECT
HOW
PUBLISHED
WHERE
PUBLISHED
DATE
PUBLISHED
LANGUAGE
Economic -Mining, coal, mechanization
Monthly periodical
Moacox
Jan 1951
DATE OF
INFORMATION 1951
DATE DIST.I~ Apr 1951
N0. OF PAGES 4
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT N0.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
TNIf DOCU NtNT CONTAIN! INIONYA710N A11{CTINf TM[ NATIONAL D{fl{f[
Of TMt YNITID fTATtf ffITNIN TN{ N{ANINf 01 11110MAfl ACT t0
Y. f. C., fl AND [t. A7 ANtM DtO. ITf TfANf NIff10M ON TNl NtY{CATION
NlflT{DC fT TLA~ I tt1 OOVCTION 01 TNIf IOA?/{ ICON ~IIT{D, If I{O?
Mekhanizatsiye Trudoyemkikh i Tyazhelykh Rabot, No 1, 1951?
MECHAAIZATION OF UNDERGROUAD COAL MIRING IACREASES IA USSR
The USSR coal industry has achieved the degree oP mechanization fixed by
the postxar Five-Year Plan for underground coal mining. At the beginning of
1949, only a fex Danb88e camb3nas sere; in operation, s~lhile ~at~-~1$ese~t~theli~e
'are ' hutldreda . .
The productivity of the combines has increased 18 percent from the third
quarter of 1949 to the third quarter of 1950? They achieved an average month-
ly productivity of 4,556 tone a month during 9 months oP 1950, almost reach=
ing the goal set Por 1950, and considerably exceeding the productivity oP ;~~
cutting machines under the same conditions.
In 1948 - 1949, the VPpI-1 cutting and loading machine star designed to
mechanize coal loading at the mine face. Considerable progress along this
line vas achieved in 1949 - 1950, and by the end of 1950 coal loading at
mine Paces of sloping ooal seams xas approximately 20 percent mechanized.
This figure ,represents 200 percent oY that for 1940, xhen coal loading at
the mine Pace amounted to only 0.1 percent.
The U1CP combine, designed in 1950 to eatract ccal Eton the thin, sloping
seams sthich supply coking coal Por the metallurgical industry, has been ea-
tensively adopted in mines with the proper mining and geological conditions. .
Moreover, a nsmlber oP nest machines, still be created and tested in 1951?
There is particsil.ar need for a combine to srork seams 1.5-3.0 meters thick,
characteristic of ~ e Moscov.Basin and some other coal basins oP the country.
A revised ve7csion o he >Ronbass combine stns tY~ied out in these coal seams
during 1950, but exp', ce hs#s shot~tn that a special machine s-111 be more
productive: under , 'ircumstances.
CLASSIFICATION COIQ~IDEIPPIAL
STATE nAw NSRet: DISTRIBUTI011
ARMY AIR FBI
9
v
f,:
-_.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380783-1
50X1-HUMS
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380783-1
~6~rlr
comFmnaTIAL
Much attention is being paid to mechanizing the removal of coal from
steeply dipping seams. The KKP-1 combine which does the work of 20-25 miners,
was tried out in such coal seams in 1950 and will be introduced in a number
of mines in 1951.
To effect a mare. complete extraction of valuable coking coal Prom the
thick, steeply dipping seams in the Kuzbass, and to prevent underground
fires, a system of mining these seams with backeilling of the worked-out
area has been developed. Backfilling,a very laborious process, is in urgent
need of mechanization. With this goal in mind, hydraulic and pneumatic~bac}F
filling was introduced in the postwar period and the proper machinery for
these processes constructed. This method will be greatly eapan~ed in 1951,
and, in addition, other efficient methods of working the thick, steeply
dipping seams oP the Kuzbass will be investigated.
Several types of loading machines were designed and introduced in coal
mince from 1948 - 1950. Among these were the EMP-1 rock-loading machine for
loading coal and rock during the cutting of horizontal and sloping drifts
with a small cross section and with a slope of up to 12 degrees, and the
UMP-1 for loading rock and coal in cutting two-way haulage drifts and cross
sections. Before the war, the number of these machines in mines was very
small, but nox they are counted by the thousands. During 1950, more than
500 kilometers oP development drifts were cut with the help of these machines.
During 1951, these loading machines will be modernized on the basis of last
year's experience, and the improved machines will be issued in large numbers.
The mechanization of drift cutting requires a drift-cutting combine
which will both cut and load rock. Several types of these machines have
been constructed and successfully tested. For example, the PK-2M combine,
which is working in mines oY the Moscow Basin, can, under favorable con-
ditions, attain a rate of 300 meters a month in drift cutting.
The shaker conveyers which used to be employed for conveying coal had
a low productivity, were unreliable, and restricted the productivity of the
-new machinery. In 1949 - 1950, various types of scraper conveyers were intro-
duced into USSR minLS. Noteworthy among these' are the SRR-11 reversing conveyer,
which not only mechanizes coal conveying, but also delivers mine timbers to
the mine face, and the SKT conveyer, which has its working and idle parts
arranged in a row on one surface instead of having one above the other, as
in other conveyers. This permits a decrease in the height of the conveyer
to 80 millimeters, so that it may be successfully used to convey coal in
thin coal seams. In 1951, new, heavier, and longer conveyers viii be de-
signed which will be suitable for working with highly productive combines.
At one time, mine timbers were the only props employed in coal mines.
At present, these have been partially replaced by wedge-shaped metal SGK
supports. The merit of these consists in their durability and in the fact
that they may be used several times. Hundreds of such props are being used
at present in USSR mines and their use will be widely extended during 1951.
Among other new types of metal props which have also been designed.is the
MOS organ-pipe prop, which Facilitates roof control and, in a number of in-
stances, makes it possible to convert to the less laborious type of roof con-
trol by caving.
During 1946 - 7.950, mine railroad transport was reorganized. Light
rails were replacedi by heavier ones permitting reliable electric locomotive
haulage, the roads xere tamped with ballast, and maintenance of the roads
and haulage drifts xas improved. In 1950 alone, more than 1,000 kilometers
of underground railroads received me.~or repair and more than 500 kilometers
of light rails xere replaced xith heavier rails. The total length of haulage
.railroads in mines of the Ministry of the Coal Industry exceeds 6,000 kilo-
meters.
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380783-1
~ONFI~~P~JTIA~
The rolling stock -- mine cars and electric locomotives -- was consider-
ably modernized and improved in recent years. Condenser electric locomotives,
operating on alternating current and not requiring complicated conversion
installations, were designed for the first time in the world. New, heavy,
electric locomotives with a traction force of 10 tons or above are being ex-
tensively used. The capacity of the mine car stock in the mines increased --
for example, in the Donbass in 1950, the capacity increased to .533 tous,'iur
each 1000 ~eds'?ezbgaCted As ~agatnst? 350 tgna..ia 1940, and the numbe2~ of cars
at~ one mine.~Pace.~rCl~ 3;m.:th~pceAme periofl from, 52 to 70.
1. ~ .r
LONG-PILLAR MINIRG METHOD IIQCREASES
Mlning in the Rostovugol' Combine had reached a high degree of mechani-
zation; cutting and conveying have been mechanized 100 percent, haulage 99
percent, including haulage by electric locomotive 71.2 percent, and loading
coal at the mine face 27 percent.
While the continuous method oP mining, the long-pillar method of mining
along the strike of the seam, and twin drifts are employed in this combine's
mines, the long-pillar method is applied to 29 percent of the combine's total
mining. At present, it is used chiefly in the mines oP the Nesvetayantratsit
Trust, particu~,arly in its largest mines, such as Mine No 5, Mine No 7,'
Zapaduo-Kapital'naya Mine, and Mine imeni OGPU, whose output accounts for
30 percent of the combine's production.
Using this method of mining, the Resvetayantratsit Trust exceeded its
quotr, for coal output 10 percent and its labor productivity reached the pre-
war. level, being at present 44 tone a month for each worker. Cutting and
:'.jading machines, consisting of coal- and =ock-loading machines, heavy STR-30
scraper conveyers, and LBU-250 belt conveyers, account for 35 percent oP the
mechanized loading at the mine faces. The cutting of development drifts does.
not present great difficulties. With the assistance of the coal-loading ma-
chine, up to 100 meters of drift are completed in a month and a 500-meter
field along the strike of the seam is prepared in 5-6 months.
The use of machinery is much more efficient in the employment of the
long-pillar method. Belt and scraper conveyers are set up more carefully
since they are installed before starting operations. In reverse extraction,
the number oP conveyers is gradually decreased. On the other hand, the
continuous method of mining requires an increase in the number of scraper
conveyers almost daily, since conveyers often become clogged with rock Prom
the blasting of drifts and also break down entirely.
The volume of work in maintaining and repairing mine workings ie con-
siderably leas when the pillar-method of mining is uaad. In the mines of
the Resvetayantratsit Trust, 670 workers are employed for the repair of
Korkings, while in the ~.ines of the 3hakhtantratsit Trust, vhere the con-
tinuous method is used, 1,939 were thus employed. The Gukovugol' Trust,'
where the continuous method of mining is also in use, emplgys 375 persons
for repair of workings, although the output of this trust is only one third
that of the Nesvetayantratsit Trust. The geological conditions are identi-
cal in both cases. The length oP mine workings in the Resvetayantratsit
Trust is 269 kilometers, while it is only 91 kilometers in the Gukovugol'
Trust. This indicates that the Nesvetayantratsit Trust employs 2.5 persons
-3-
CONFIDENTIAL
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380783-1
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380783-1
~~a~~~~.~~ ~~~
coNFIDENTIAL
per kilometer, xhile the Gukovugol' Trust employs 4.1 persons per kilometer.
Coal losses in the Nesvetayantratsit Trust amount to 9 percent, xhile those
in the Gukovugol' Trust amount to as much as 15.8 percent.
By the end of 1950, 30 percent of mining in the Rbstovugol' Combine xas
carried on by the long-pillar method and nex measures are being taken to
convert mitus~?o!'the Gukovugol' Trust, the Nezhdannaya Mine, and the pyutin-
skoye Mine Administration of the Shakhtantratsit Trust to the long-pillar
method. It xould be difficult to convert a number of mines nox in operation
in the near future, xhereas the long-pillar method should be xidely adopted
in nexly operated mince, even in cases xhere the seam being xorked is not
very thick (from .6-.7 mater or more).
In 1951, xhich must be regarded ea a transitional period, a number of
mines in the 8hakhtantratait, Gukovvgol', and Guiidorovugol' trusts x111
introduce the'txin-drift method in place of the continuous method of mining.
This x111 also lead to a decrease in coal losses and to an improvement in
the teChnic9l. 'imdafoea .
The long-pillar system makes possible an extensive introduction of roof
control by complete caving. In the continuous method, partial backfilling is
extensively adopted to preserve the haulage drifts. IY complete caving is
used in the continuous method, the supports of the haulage drifts are broken
sad, in places, entirely crushed, particularly in the case of secondary
settling. This puts the mine face out of use for a long time and causes
large expenditures of money and labor in restoring the xorkinge. The long-
pillar system makes possible extensive caving of the xo~ked-out area at the
mine face and consequently reduces the need for labor to maintain the drifts.
The long-pillar method is the best and most suitable for xorking eloping
Donbass coal seams, including thin ones. Preparation of the mine field xith
the use of coal- sad rock-loading machines does not encounter difficulties.
Repair of xorkings is cheap, exploitation of mechanisms dependable, and labor
productivity is high. All this is particularly '_mp~~rtant xhen mine faces and
mines are converting to the nex xork schedule to cemplete a cycle each day.
CONFIDENTIAL
3'~~~~~
~~e~~r~,~~
f
~.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380783-1