You are nominated as a Mine Surveyor for a project related to underground coal mines. A longwall mining method is to be used, which involves the use of a mechanized shearer that cuts a strip of coal from the face and loads it onto a face conveyor, and transports the coal to belt conveyors.

i) With the aid of a diagram, list and label the mining equipment used. (10 marks)

ii) Prepare a risk management plan that is required in a mine surveyor’s environment. Identify the five (5) risks for mine surveyors in underground coal mine surveying and discuss how to minimize these risks. (30 marks)

iii) Two permanent survey marks/ pillars are located to a baseline at the surface which is registered with the mines department and noted on the mine plans. The horizontal datum is based on MGA2020 coordinates and the vertical datum is AHD. Briefly describe how you would transfer data from the surface to underground in a longwall coal mine using a total station. How would this differ from a surface traverse with regard to independent checks? (50 marks)