Consultant, DMT GmbH & Co KGThomas Imgrund has 15 years of experience in coal mining, gas drainage, gas emission control, gas outburst prevention, ventilation and mine safety. Since completing his Diploma in Geotechnical Engineering in 2003 he is working for 10 years within the Expert Body of Safety - Test Centre for Mine Ventilation at DMT. He has work experience in Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Turkey, India, China, Vietnam, Australia, the USA and Mexico. He has professional experience in German coal mining as ventilation staff. Since 2012 he is the Deputy Head of the Mine Ventilation Department of DMT
4D risk assessment - The future of mining under challenging conditions
Geotechnical risks as gas outbursts or rock bursts are a big challenge for any mining operation. Mines dealing with these risks have to follow strict regulations, resulting in poor production rates and high operating costs. Even when applying proven and traditional methods of prevention, accidents cannot be excluded. A systematic assessment of the deposit before starting development allows distinguishing areas with high risk, medium risk and now risk. However, this sometimes requires processing huge amounts of data and over-viewing complex interactions. Software based risk assessment allows a partial automation of this work, using exploration data as well as actual information gathered by sensors and mine staff. Including time dependent information as state of mine development, moving abutment pressure and gas content reduction through gas drainage, an online 4D risk assessment becomes reality and provides a basis for successful high performance mining under challenging conditions.