Longwall mining
WEBLongwall mining is a form of underground coal mining where a long wall of coal is mined in a single slice (typically – m (2 ft 0 in – 19 ft 8 in) thick). The section of rock that is being mined, known as the longwall panel, is typically 3–4 km (– mi) long, but can be up to km ( mi) long and 250–400 m (820–1,310 ft) wide.