JULY/AUGUST 2018 VOL. 123 NO. 6
July/August 2018 www.coalage.com 1
feature articles
14 Full-scale Testing Demonstrates That a New
Mixture Performs as Well as Rock Dust
Even though U.S. coal operators could benefit
from the use of a new rock dusting product,
regulators refuse to acknowledge the results
20 Monster Wall: Considerations for the Next
Major Leap in Longwall Mining
What started as a what-if conversation at
CONSOL Energy about 2,000 ft longwall faces
may someday become a reality
24 Perfecting Products for a Dynamic Market
The best-selling collision avoidance systems are
maturing, evolving and finding their place in an
industry transitioning to full automation
28 Capture Savings Through Better
Lubrication Management
Recent studies suggest that mine fleet operators
aren't taking maximum advantage of lubrication
technologies and services to reduce operating costs
34 The Short-term Outlook for Global
Metallurgical Coal
Supply concerns push the market higher
coal in the news
4 Cumberland Encounters Difficult Geology
5 NMA: Americans Agree Coal Plants Deserve
Government Support
6 NTEC Buys Stake in the Four Corners Power Plant
8 Vectren Coal Plant Retirement Continues Trend
of Closings
10 FirstEnergy Solutions Trying to End Coal Supply
Contract With Murray Energy
11 EPA Approves First State Coal Ash Permit
12 DOL Seeks Input on Study of Respirable Coal Mine
Dust Rule
world news
5 Court Levies Hefty Jail Sentences for
Soma Mine Disaster
6 Coal to Pass Iron Ore as Top Australian Export
7 Indonesian Coal Output Rising in 2018
departments
2 Editorial
4 News
5 World News
8 People
10 Awards
12 Calendar
38 Operating Ideas
40 Suppliers News
42 Product News
46 Classifieds
48 Legally Speaking
This month, Coal Age wades into the wet rock-dust dilemma.
The photography on the cover depicts three full-scale explosion
tests in South Africa. They are stills pulled from a video that can
be viewed at www.wrightconcrete.com.
this issue
NEWS/ 4
COLLISION AVOIDANCE/ 24 MET COAL OUTLOOK/ 34
ROCK DUST/ 14