· All Trona in Wyoming is mined underground. An underground Trona mine is like
an underground city. There are maintainance shops, bathrooms, electricity lines,
streets,
· Today, the Trona deposits in Wyoming retain the basic horizontal orientation
similar to when the Trona was originally formed. The mining of the Trona can
be performed in three different ways: longwall, room-and-pillar, and solution.
· The most common form of mining Trona, room-and-pillar, is a system where a
series of parallel drifts are driven. At regular intervals, connections are
made between these drifts. This can create a checkerboard pattern of rooms and
pillars. The pillars are left to support the overlying rock.
· Room-and-pillar mining uses continuous and and bore miners to cut the mineral
from the mining face.
· Here, roof bolts (large, steel rods ranging between 5 and 9 feet long) are
inserted into the ceiling for support to prevent a rock fall. · In an underground
mine, the top is called the "roof", the sides are called "ribs", and the bottom
is called the "floor."
· In longwall mining, the Trona seam is divided into rectangular panels called
blocks . Then, two or more parallel drifts are driven along the side of the
panels. The drifts are for ventilation and Trona transport. A crosscut is created
to connect the parallel drifts. The longwall is installed along the crosscut
that has movable hydraulic supports to provide a covering for a safe environment
where the seam is to be mined. A cutting machine moves back and forth, and a
conveyor collects the Trona, transporting the mineral to a location to be processed.
Longwall mining is only used to mine softer rocks, such as Trona, salt, potash,
and coal.
· Processing
The processing of Trona into Soda ash is a complicated process.
· The Trona is processed at a plant near the mines.
Many do not realize that Trona has to be processed into Soda ash.
