Advance of mining technology for coals under buildings in China

In China there are large amounts of coal located underneath buildings. In this article the severity of the problem is studied, and the characteristics of the mining technology used for the extraction of coals under buildings are described. Based on the comprehensive analyses of the abundant literature, separated bed grouting, backfill mining, Partial Mining and homonic mining technology, are the main mining technologies that exist for extraction of these coals. At the same time, the necessary measures for protecting the buildings are also considered. In particular, the authors have analysed the development of these mining technologies and concluded that the waste filling will be the focus of development, and that the main developing technologies of the filling mining method should be further perfecting the separated bed filling, strip mining and strenthening the anti-deformation of building.