


Coal Types, Formation and Methods of Mining - epcamr.org
Most underground coal is mined by the room and pillar method, where by rooms are cut into the coal bed leaving a series of pillars, or columns of coal, to help support the mine roof and control the flow of air.Generally, rooms are 2,000 feet wide and the pillars up to 300 feet wide. At least 60 feet of coal was left between an underground mine and the surface, if not the surface had a higher ...
