Disaster treatment and multisource monitoring of rockbursts in isolated island coal face under hard roof conditions

Rockbursts are common dynamic phenomena in coal mining and have become a prominent topic in the mining industry. This study examines the isolated island coal face in an extra-thick, fully mechanized top-coal caving operation in deep burial conditions, using it as a representative case. A comprehensive pressure relief strategy was employed at the coal face, incorporating directional roof blasting and loose roof blasting techniques. These techniques facilitated the pre-cracking and fracturing of the hard roof, addressing the issue of excessive suspended roof areas and high rock pressure affecting the roadway. Furthermore, a multi-source monitoring and evaluation method was developed to assess the effectiveness of the pressure relief measures. This method was based on the evolution of the rock loosening zone, stress distribution, displacement, and microseismic events. The study demonstrates that this approach can accurately evaluate the conditions at the coal mining face, providing valuable data to inform decision-making and enabling timely implementation of prevention and control measures.