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Mining Technologies Innovative Development II

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "H: Geo-Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 19810

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Sergey Zhironkin

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor

1. Department of Economics, National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia
2. Department of Economy and Planning, Siberian Federal University, 660075 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Interests: sustainable development; open-pit mining; Industry 4.0; environmental risks
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Dawid Szurgacz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

DOH Hydraulics Center, Polska Grupa Górnicza S.A., ul. Powstańców 30, 40-039 Katowice, Poland
Interests: thermal imaging; belt conveyor; diagnostics; mechanical failure; preventative maintenance; environmental engineering; mining technology; safety function; electro-hydraulic control system; powered roof support; underground mining; ventilation systems; methane release hazard; spontaneous combustion hazard; safety; spontaneous combustion of coal; endogenous fire hazard; ash-water mixture; inertisation; stand tests; model tests; control system; CFD; dynamic load; free falling mass; measuring system; sustainability mining
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are proud to present a new Special Edition of Energies, “Mining Technologies Innovative Development-II”, which follows on from our previous Special Edition.

Without a doubt, the events of 2021 indicate the significant potential of the mining sector of the world economy for post-pandemic recovery, due to the key nature of minerals in the development of modern mankind. At the same time, the development of renewable energy and recycling and lean production reinforces volatility in the raw materials market. This creates strong incentives for the innovative development of mining technologies, both for companies and for the scientific centers of the mining sector, making it possible to reduce operating costs and increase profitability and safety. At the same time, the convergence of mining and the digital, cognitive technologies of Industry 4.0 creates a new platform for innovative development—Mining 4.0, which operates on the principles of the "triple" and "quadruple" helix. A crucial role in this platform is played by the innovative cooperation of mining companies and universities, which is impossible without the global dissemination of advanced scientific research. It is to this goal that the Special Issue "Mining Technologies Innovative Development-II" is dedicated.

The success of the innovative development of mining technologies directly depends on the combination of the achievements of fundamental research (rock physics, geophysics, geochemistry, informatics and cognitive sciences) and applied sciences (geo-technology, mining machinery, technosphere safety, etc.), united under the auspices of sustainable development. Therefore, the works of authors publishing original research in the framework of the Special Issue are designed to facilitate the transition of the mining industry to the number of dynamically technologically modernized branches.

In view of the above, we consider the Special Issue of Energies “Mining Technologies Innovative Development-II” a discussion platform for ambitious researchers, maintaining a tradition of publishing high-quality scientific papers. Like the previous one, this Special Issue covers original research in the field of geo-technology and geo-ecology, mineral processing, mining equipment, replacement of natural materials with artificial ones, production of alternative energy and sustainable development of clusters for the extraction of raw materials.

We invite you to submit your original papers to this Special Issue, and look forward to receiving your outstanding research.

Prof. Dr. Sergey Zhironkin
Dr. Dawid Szurgacz
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Innovative development in mining technologies
Innovations in mining machinery
Industry 4.0 in mining (Mining 4.0)
Post-mining
Sustainable development strategy

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

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5 pages, 197 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Mining Technologies Innovative Development II: The Overview

by Sergey Zhironkin and Dawid Szurgacz

Energies 2023, 16(15), 5668; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en16155668 - 28 Jul 2023

Viewed by 616

Abstract

Dear colleagues—readers and authors of Energies journal, we present the Special Issue “Mining Technologies Innovative Development II”, which continues the previous issue, developing the ideas of sustainable mining of fossil energy sources, concentrating around the innovative modernization of the mineral resource sector in [...] Read more.

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mining Technologies Innovative Development II)

Research

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17 pages, 9256 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Mechanism of Surrounding Rock Deformation and Its Control for Roof Cutting Retained Gob-Side Entry in Close-Distance Coal Seams Co-Mining

by Yongkang Yang, Xuecong Xu and Chenlong Wang

Energies 2023, 16(11), 4379; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en16114379 - 28 May 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 901

Abstract

Sustainable development in coal mining requires a continuous and efficient method of coal extraction. Research shows that gob-side entries retained through roof cutting retained gob-side (RCGE) are vital for improving mining efficiency, enhancing coal recovery rates, and enabling continuous production. However, the mechanism of surrounding rock deformation during close-distance co-mining of coal seams with this technique is not yet clear. For the Jiaokou coal mine in China, due to an unreasonable stagger distance between upper and lower working faces, the gob-side entries retained at the 9102 tailgate and 10102 headgate experience severe rock pressure, leading to significant prop damage and a sharp reduction in the cross-section of the entry. This greatly hampers the reuse of these entries. To investigate this issue, we established a model to study the stress distribution of surrounding rocks at different stagger distances (20 m, 40 m, 60 m, 80 m, and 120 m) through numerical simulation and optimized the support parameters for the retained entries. Our research found that when the subsidence of the roof in the upper coal seam exceeds 0.74 m but is less than 1.33 m, there is sliding instability in the mining body. When the subsidence exceeds 1.33 m, the mining body will rotate and deform, causing significant mining pressure within the retained entry. A stagger distance of 40 m between the upper and lower working faces can reduce pressure on the face during the mining of the lower coal seam. Extensive field measurements of rock pressure revealed that the damage rate of the single column in the gob-side entries of the upper and lower coal seams does not exceed 5% and 1%, respectively. In summary, this study provides a practical method to reduce damage to entries during the mining process, thereby increasing the continuous production capability of the coal mine. This is critical for the sustainable development of coal mining. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mining Technologies Innovative Development II)

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18 pages, 3969 KiB

Open AccessArticle

CFD Analysis of the Forced Airflow and Temperature Distribution in the Air-Conditioned Operator’s Cabin of the Stationary Rock Breaker in Underground Mine under Increasing Heat Flux

by Adam Wróblewski, Arkadiusz Macek, Aleksandra Banasiewicz, Sebastian Gola, Maciej Zawiślak and Anna Janicka

Energies 2023, 16(9), 3814; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en16093814 - 28 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1052

Abstract

The exploitation of natural resources is associated with many natural hazards. Currently, the copper ore deposits exploited in Polish mines are located at a depth of about 1200 m below the surface. The primary temperature of the rocks in the exploited areas reaches [...] Read more.

^{\circ}

C, which constitutes a major source of heat flux to the mine air. However, another important source of heat is the machine plant, which mainly consists of machines powered by diesel engines. Following the results of in situ measurements, boundary conditions for a simulation were determined and a geometric model of the cabin was created. Furthermore, an average human model was created, whose radiative heat transfer was included in the analysis. Three cases were studied: the first covering the current state of thermal conditions, based on the measurement results, and two cases of forecast conditions. In the second case, the temperature of the conditioned air was determined, and in the third, the flow velocity required to ensure thermal comfort was found. The results of the simulation indicated that for the microclimatic conditions established based on the measurements (ambient air temperature in the excavation 35.0

^{\circ}

C, air-conditioned airflow 2.4 × 10

^{- 2}

^{3}

/s, and temperature 10.0

^{\circ}

C), the temperature of the air inside the air-conditioned operator’s cabin would be 20.4

^{\circ}

C. Based on the personal mean vote (PMV) index, it was concluded that the thermal sensation would range from neutral to slightly cool, which confirmed the legitimacy of the actions taken to reduce the adverse impact of the microclimatic conditions on workers in the workplace. However, for the case of predicted conditions of enhanced heat flux from strata and machinery, resulting in an average ambient temperature increased to 38.0

^{\circ}

C, it would be necessary to lower the temperature of air from the air conditioner to 8.00

^{\circ}

C or increase the flow rate to 3.14 × 10

^{- 2}

^{3}

/s to maintain thermal comfort at the same level of PMV index. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mining Technologies Innovative Development II)

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22 pages, 10426 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Scale Effect on Hydraulic Properties of Pore-Fissure Deep Rock Formations and Its Importance for the Mining Shaft-Sinking Process

by Maciej Pikuła, Krzysztof Chudy, Magdalena Worsa-Kozak and Mariusz Czop

Energies 2023, 16(5), 2263; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en16052263 - 27 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1657

Abstract

The problem of hydraulic parameters estimation lies in the depth: the deeper the rock formation, the more expensive and difficult the field tests and samples acquisition, and the more challenging the technical issues. The article assesses the Triassic sandstone’s drainage potential at the stage of shaft sinking. It focuses on parameter analysis in varied scales, from drill-core sample laboratory testing, through a single well drawing test, to long-term pumping and recovery tests in the well with observation piezometers. The obtained results are compared to the values estimated in the past using different methods. Finally, the paper states whether it is reliable to forecast pore-fissure sandstone drainage potential based only on core samples’ laboratory tests. This research proved that lab tests underestimate pore-fissure rocks’ hydraulic parameters (mean hydraulic conductivity k = 9.79 × 10

^{- 8}

m/s) tenfold more than long-term pumping tests (mean k = 4.45 × 10

^{- 7}

m/s). However, it can be concluded that the group of so-called “witness samples”, 10% of all core samples with a top value of the hydraulic conductivity tested in the laboratory, can be representative of the aquifer and comparable to the values obtained in pumping tests. With this in mind, we recommend using the highest values of hydrogeological parameters from laboratory tests based on the worst-case scenario. Therefore, it is possible to forecast inflows to the shafts reliably. This methodology is recommended only for rocks of porous and pore-fissure character. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mining Technologies Innovative Development II)

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16 pages, 6931 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prediction of NOx Emission Based on Data of LHD On-Board Monitoring System in a Deep Underground Mine

by Aleksandra Banasiewicz, Paweł Śliwiński, Pavlo Krot, Jacek Wodecki and Radosław Zimroz

Energies 2023, 16(5), 2149; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en16052149 - 23 Feb 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1543

Abstract

The underground mining industry is at the forefront when it comes to unsafe conditions at workplaces. As mining depths continue to increase and the mining fronts move away from the ventilation shafts, gas hazards are increasing. In this article, the authors developed a statistical polynomial model for nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission prediction of the LHD vehicle with a diesel engine. The best-achieved prediction accuracy by the 4th order polynomial model for 11 and 10 input variables is about 8% and 13%, respectively. It is comparable with the sensors’ accuracy of 10% at a stable regime of loading and 20% in the transient periods of operation. The obtained results allow planning of ventilation system capacity and power demand for the large fleet of vehicles in the deep underground mines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mining Technologies Innovative Development II)

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18 pages, 9456 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Detection of Blockages of the Belt Conveyor Transfer Point Using an RGB Camera and CNN Autoencoder

by Piotr Bortnowski, Horst Gondek, Robert Król, Daniela Marasova and Maksymilian Ozdoba

Energies 2023, 16(4), 1666; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en16041666 - 07 Feb 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1924

Abstract

In the material transfer area, the belt is exposed to considerable damage, the energy of falling material is lost, and there is significant dust and noise. One of the most common causes of failure is transfer chute blockage, when the flow of material in the free fall or loading zone is disturbed by oversized rock parts or other objects, e.g., rock bolts. The failure of a single transfer point may cause the entire transport route to be excluded from work and associated with costly breakdowns. For this reason, those places require continuous monitoring and special surveillance measures. The number of methods for monitoring this type of blockage is limited. The article presents the research results on the possibility of visual monitoring of the transfer operating status on an object in an underground copper ore mine. A standard industrial RGB camera was used to obtain the video material from the transfer point area, and the recorded frames were processed by a detection algorithm based on a neural network. The CNN autoencoder was taught to reconstruct the image of regular transfer operating conditions. A data set with the recorded transfer blockage state was used for validation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mining Technologies Innovative Development II)

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14 pages, 5147 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Minimizing Internal Leaks of a Powered Roof Support’s Hydraulic Prop Based on Double Block with Charging

by Dawid Szurgacz, Beata Borska, Ryszard Diederichs, Anthony J. S. Spearing and Sergey Zhironkin

Energies 2023, 16(3), 1341; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en16031341 - 27 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1253

Abstract

The hydraulic system of a powered roof support performs two functions. The first function is to control the powered roof support in the extraction wall. The second function is to protect against adverse overloads resulting from rock mass pressing directly on the powered roof support. This damaging phenomenon is prevented by the protection of the powered roof support, with a safety valve built into the hydraulic system or directly into the prop. However, the third function proposed by the authors based on the research results is to minimize leaks. These leaks usually develop in the props or in the hydraulic system. The authors propose implementing changes to the hydraulic system for this purpose. The change consists of replacing the existing support block with a double block with charging. Tests were carried out in real conditions, that is, a mining wall. Tests in the mining wall were carried out on the powered roof support’s leaking prop. As a result of charging, the actual load capacity of the prop increased by about 10–50% in relation to the load capacity before charging. The use of a double block with charging ensured that the pressure in the under-piston space of the prop was maintained at a minimum of 250 bar. The results allowed us to determine the usefulness of the proposed solution and eliminate its disadvantages—the designated direction of research and development on the powered roof support allowed us to expand its functionality by minimizing leaks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mining Technologies Innovative Development II)

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15 pages, 2704 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Development of Coal Mine Methane Utilization Infrastructure within the Framework of the Concept “Coal-Energy-Information”

by Arina Smirnova, Kirill Varnavskiy, Fedor Nepsha, Roman Kostomarov and Shaojie Chen

Energies 2022, 15(23), 8948; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15238948 - 26 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1419

Abstract

The operation of coal mines is intricately linked with emitting a large quantity of coal mine methane, and in most cases, this methane releases into the atmosphere. In total, according to statistics, coal mining enterprises emit 8% of anthropogenic methane, determining a contribution to greenhouse gas emissions to the amount of 17%. There are various means for coal mine methane utilization. In this study, the concept “Coal-Energy-Information” is proposed. This concept implies both the construction of data processing centers on the industrial sites of coal mines and the usage of coal mine methane. Coal mine methane can be used as a primary energy source for the energy supply of data processing center consumers as well as coal mine consumers with necessary energy resources (electricity, heat, and cooling). Within the framework of the proposed concept, three options of coal mine methane utilization are considered. The first option is the use of gas genset for electrical and thermal energy generation (cogeneration) and their usage for coal mine and constructed data processing centers and consumers’ power supply. The second option is absorption refrigerator usage (with coal mine methane direct burning) for cooling the IT equipment of constructed data processing centers. The last one is the use of a gas genset and absorption refrigerator (trigeneration) for constructed data processing centers’ and coal mine consumers’ energy supplies (electricity, heat, and cooling). In conclusion, it is noted that proposed concept is closely correlated with the program for the development of the coal industry in Russia for the period up to 2035, since it allows creating a base for the implementation of innovative technologies based on digital platforms that ensure the development of coal mining technology without the constant presence of personnel in underground mining facilities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mining Technologies Innovative Development II)

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21 pages, 12291 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design of an Infrared Image Processing Pipeline for Robotic Inspection of Conveyor Systems in Opencast Mining Sites

by Mohammad Siami, Tomasz Barszcz, Jacek Wodecki and Radoslaw Zimroz

Energies 2022, 15(18), 6771; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15186771 - 16 Sep 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1824

Abstract

Conveying systems play an essential role in the continuous horizontal transportation of raw materials in mining sites. Regular inspections of conveyor system structures and their components, especially idlers, are essential for proper maintenance. Traditional inspection methods are labor-intensive and hazardous; therefore, robot-based thermography can be considered a quality assessment tool for the precise detection and localization of overheated idlers in opencast mining sites. This paper proposes an infrared image processing pipeline for the automatic detection and analysis of overheated idlers. The proposed image processing pipeline can be used for the identification of significant temperature anomalies such as hotspots and hot areas in infrared images. For the identification of such defects in idlers, firstly, the histogram of captured infrared images was analyzed and improved through the pre-processing stages. Afterward, the location of thermal anomalies in infrared images was extracted. Finally, for the validation of segmentation results, the shapes and locations of segmented hot spots were compared with RGB images that were synchronized by captured infrared images. A quantitative evaluation of the proposed method for the condition monitoring of belt conveyor idlers in an open-cast mining site shows the applicability of our approach. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mining Technologies Innovative Development II)

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20 pages, 9452 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Method for Large Underground Structures Geometry Evaluation Based on Multivariate Parameterization and Multidimensional Analysis of Point Cloud Data

by Adam Wróblewski, Jacek Wodecki, Paweł Trybała and Radosław Zimroz

Energies 2022, 15(17), 6302; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15176302 - 29 Aug 2022

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 1531

Abstract

In underground mining, new workings (tunnels) are constructed by blasting or mechanical excavation. The blasting technique used in underground mines is supported by economic aspects, especially for deposits characterized by hard rocks. Unfortunately, the quality of the result may be different than expected in terms of the general geometry of work or the roughness of excavation surfaces. The blasting technique is also a source of vibrations that may affect other existing structures, affecting their stability. Therefore, it is of great importance to monitor both the quality of the new tunnels and changes in existing tunnels that may cause rockfall from the sidewalls and ceilings of both new and existing tunnels. The length of mining tunnels and support structures in underground mines is massive. Even if one would like to limit monitoring of tunnel geometry to those used every day for major technological processes such as transport, it is a vast amount of work. What is more, any stationary monitoring system is hard to utilize both due to everyday blasting procedures and mobile machine operation. The method proposed here is based on quick LiDAR/Terrestrial Laser Scanner measurements to obtain a cloud of points, which allows generating the spatial model of a mine’s geometry. Data processing procedures are proposed to extract several parameters describing the geometry of the tunnels. Firstly, the model is re-sampled to obtain its uniform structure. Next, a segmentation technique is applied to separate the cross sections with a specific resolution. Statistical parameters are selected to describe each cross section for final 1D feature analysis along the tunnel length. Such a set of parameters may serve as a basis for blasting evaluation, as well as long-term deformation monitoring. The methodology was tested and validated for the data obtained in a former gold and arsenic mine Zloty Stok, Poland. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mining Technologies Innovative Development II)

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15 pages, 4988 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Underground Mine Tunnel Modelling Using Laser Scan Data in Relation to Manual Geometry Measurements

by Jakub Janus and Piotr Ostrogórski

Energies 2022, 15(7), 2537; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15072537 - 30 Mar 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2560

Abstract

Underground mine tunnels, drifts, and mine headings are susceptible to the impact of convergence. The convergence has a big influence on further measurements such as airflow and the volume concentration of methane and other gases. In most cases, deformation of arch supports lead to getting a smaller cross-section area. A comparison is made between five methods of measuring the cross-sectional area of a mine tunnel. The reference size of the six cross-section mine drift areas were obtained by Terrestrial Laser Scanning, which were then compared with the cross-section areas obtained by four other methods. The following methods were considered: area calculation using CAD software, an empirical method, approximation by a semi-ellipse and approximation by a semi-ellipse with attached straight sections. This article presents the quantitative and qualitative differences of the obtained results. Differences in the calculated cross-sectional areas of the mine drift are discussed, and reasons for the differences are determined. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of each method are indicated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mining Technologies Innovative Development II)

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Review

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28 pages, 6501 KiB

Open AccessReview

Review of Linear Electric Motor Hammers—An Energy-Saving and Eco-Friendly Solution in Industry

by Adam Wróblewski, Pavlo Krot, Radosław Zimroz, Timo Mayer and Jyri Peltola

Energies 2023, 16(2), 959; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en16020959 - 14 Jan 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2492

Abstract

Standard hydraulic breaking hammers are widely used for crushing oversized blasted materials and concrete structures demolition in industry. These hammers, installed in on-surface working excavators or stationary manipulators at the dumping points of underground conveyors, provide the required limited sizes of bulk materials and enable the safe operation of other equipment (screens, crushers). In parallel, hydraulic hammers have an alternative—fully electric hammers. This paper aims to review existing linear electric motor (LEM) hammers as an energy-saving and eco-friendly solution in industry. Global market analysis is presented with potential branches of LEM hammers. Several aspects for implementation—design optimization, dynamics simulation, machine control, and performance estimation—are considered. Different case studies for LEM-hammer application are given. The preliminary measurements are demonstrated on the electric hammer of Lekatech Company, which is intended for the mining industry and construction demolition. Experiments showed that depending on the impact frequency, type of rock, and shape of the crushing tool, the time to fracture varies significantly. Optimal parameters exist for every case, for which adjusting requires online hammer control. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mining Technologies Innovative Development II)

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