Monitoring of methane and rockburst hazards as a condition of safe coal exploitation in the mines of Kompania Weglowa SA

Abstract All kinds of natural hazards occur in the mines of Kompania Weglowa SA. Rockburst and methane hazards are considered as those particularly essential ones. Conducting of coal exploitation under the conditions of rockburst and methane hazards occurrence requires a continuous investigation of exploitation process, symptoms of the hazards, analyzing of parameters resulting from these phenomena and finally exerting of an influence on changes in the exploitation. Such conduct makes it possible to achieve a continuous improvement of work safety in mines and also a decrease of unfavorable influences of mining operations on the surface. The article presents the characteristics of rockburst hazard, the most important achievements of Kompania Weglowa SA (KW-SA) in the range of seismological observations in mines and it also provides the subject matter on the influence of mining quakes on the surface. It characterizes the most effective methods of methane hazards' combating.