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Timber planks stacked neatly ready to be used.
‘Coal cannot be mined from
underground without
supporting the roof and often
the sides of the mining shafts.
For this use, wood is a
valuable resource,’ the
article reads.
The first one is a round prop
which has the main purpose of
supporting mine roofs. The
article describes how the prop
is loaded in a perpendicular
angle to the roof and the floor
to achieve maximum strength.
‘Props are used in faces, mine
entries, and along haulage
corridors,’ the article explains.
Next it describes sawn
props, which have a similar
purpose to round props. The
difference is that they have
more of a permanent function
in that they are often set in
mine corridors for up to 10
years. They are also the main
preference for mines because
32 JUNE / JULY 2019 //
Timber is mostly used to provide roof support in an underground mine.
www.timberiq.co.za