Process innovations in the mining industry and the effects of their implementation presented on the example of longwall milling heads

In Poland, the mining industry is one of the branches, in which innovation improvement activities must be undertaken, as it is still a strategic industrial branch. Process innovation is one of the innovation types allowing the improvement of the production process, as well as the improvement of the product quality. In extractive processes, mechanical mining based on hard coal milling in longwall excavations is related to the development of a considerable amount of unneeded fractions, i.e., fine coal and dust. In consequence, it results in a reduction of mined material value, development of dustiness, as well as a hazard of coal dust explosion. Moreover, there is the necessity of efficient spraying system application. The appearance of a larger amount of coarse grade allows reduction of mentioned problems what increases mining efficiency. It is possible when the process of constructional and kinematic milling parameters of worm-type cutting heads is designed properly. The procedure of selection of these parameters proposed in this study supported with experiment executed in industrial conditions allows obtaining the targeted aim, i.e., increase of the amount of coarser fractions in case of mining with use of worm-type milling heads, what constitutes an excellent example of process innovations implemented in the Polish mining industry.