Selection of an Appropriate Mechanized Mining Technical Process for Thin Coal Seam Mining
Mechanized mining technical process (MMTP) related to the control method of the shearer is a vital process in thin coal seam mining operations. An appropriate MMTP is closely related to safety, productivity, labour intensity, and efficiency. Hence, the evaluation of alternative MMTP is an important part of the mining design. Several parameters should be considered in MMTP evaluation, so the evaluation is complex and must be compliant with a set of criteria. In this paper, two multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation (PROMETHEE), were adopted for this evaluation. Then, the most appropriate MMTP for a thin coal seam working face was selected in China.