Talk:Room and pillar mining

Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment
This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 11 January 2019 and 17 April 2019. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): MeggyPenny.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 08:21, 17 January 2022 (UTC)

Merger proposal
I propose that Retreat mining be merged into Room and pillar. As far as I can tell from the present article retreat mining, retreat mining is just a stage of the room and pillar system. As it is, both articles are also short enough that they could be served by a merger. If anyone knews anything that would change this impression, please say so.

I've already moved some details over from retreat mining to room and pillar. Retreat mining was already listed as a 'see also', without being mentioned in the article itself, so I figured it would be good to elaborate on the subject. The material is an edited version of information from the room and pillar article. Mxheil (talk) 19:49, 13 July 2012 (UTC)

Article Edit - April 2019
- I do not agree that retreat mining should be merged with this article. Retreat mining can be a part of room and pillar mining, but retreat mining is not always a part of room and pillar, much less the same thing. The details that I have added make that more clear.

- The article has been completely reorganized to better explain this kind of mining.

- Many links to other wiki articles have been added, in order for the reader to better understand some of the terms used.

- Information about the creation and use of room and pillar mines is provided

- Some additional citations are added to the information that I left.

- Historical information was added

- Information about modern use, and advantages & disadvantages were added

- Some relevant "see also" wikis were added

Other notes
- Some sources provided are very old. However, due to the more historic nature of room and pillar mining, this is acceptable. I have also cited one coal company (Sunrise Coal LLC) but I am discussing ways in which coal mining is done, and as companies are somewhat protective of their methods, this is the primary and most extensive source I can find.

- If anyone has knowledge of currently operating room and pillar type mines, a section including this information would be interesting; I however am not sure how to inculde this information while remaining neutral.

- If anyone has appropriate photos that they can verify are room and pillar mining, it would be a great way to make the article more user friendly.I have attempted to leave sufficient white space to maintain readability, but images would improve this further.

MeggyPenny (talk) 00:16, 4 April 2019 (UTC)

Modern usage
Section on modern usage is incorrect. It is still in use in modern day mines, particularly deep mines where roof collapse should be avoided. Winsford Salt Mine in UK, and hard rock mines in South Africa are examples. Will return later to edit when I have had time to research in depth. Jgb2 (talk) 15:15, 29 November 2021 (UTC)