The Goedehoop colliery comprises the currently active Goedehoop North (GHN) colliery (formerly known as Bank colliery) and the closed Goedehoop South colliery (GHS).
The Company operates Goedehoop using the fully mechanised bord and pillar mining method. We supply the thermal coal mined from Goedehoop colliery to the export and domestic thermal coal markets.
The GHN Colliery has three sections mining the No 2 Seam and two sections mining the No 4 Seam, using mechanised bord and pillar mining. The minimum practical mining height in the No 4 Seam is 2.7m while in the No 2 Seam maximum mining height is 4.5m. The roof conditions are generally good and the pillar design appropriate.
Due to varying seam height restrictions of the No 4 Seam and No 2 Seam, the continuous miner (CM) equipment is adapted to ensure maximum productivity. The cutting heights in the No 2 Seam are dictated by an in-seam parting and safety factors rather than actual seam heights.
In-panel pillars constitute primary support for the mining panels and these pillars are designed to comply with the following parameters:
• Primary developments: pillars with SF of more than 2.0;
• Secondary developments: pillars with SF more than 1.6;
• Production panels: pillars with SF more than 1.6;
• Minimum width-to-height ratio of 2.0 for depths below surface greater than 40 m (less than 40 m is considered shallow mining);
• Minimum width to height ratio of ........