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Rockhouse Energy Stream Crossing
Client: Sidney Coal Company—Pike County, Kentucky
With the assistance of the Sidney Coal engineering department, Summit Engineering, Inc. developed a plan and obtained all necessary permits that allowed Sidney Coal to develop mine entries enabling a conveyor belt connection with another adjacent Sidney preparation plant located on Long Fork. In order for this to be accomplished, mine entries were developed that crossed underneath Big Creek.
The upstream watershed for Big Creek at the location of the crossing was approximately 40 square miles and the minimum cover was approximately 43 feet. The overlying strata consisted of 20 feet of unconsolidated alluvial material and 23 feet of mixed sandstone and shale strata. The strategy that was devised included an elaborate roof control plan utilizing innovative roof bolting techniques, the installation of steel arches, and the injection of polyurethane grout prior to mining to bond and seal the overlying strata.
In addition to the detailed roof control plan, Summit Engineering, Inc. obtained the necessary permits from various agencies including the Kentucky Department of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, the Kentucky Division of Mines and Minerals, the Kentucky, Kentucky Department of Transportation, and MSHA.
As a result of the services provided by Summit Engineering, Inc., Sidney Coal Company was able to install the conveyor belt that was essential in transporting the long wall production to the Long Fork plant which provided the available preparation capacity.
