Head pillar burst in themechanized stopes of coal mines in Novaky

Coal was, and still is a prime power source of human. In world-wide values up to 36 % of generated electric energy comes from this stock. The biggest producer of brown coal in Slovakia is the Hornonitrianske bane Prievidza, Inc., with the Baňa Nováky branch. The present coal output of Novaky is rendered from longwall faces. The stability issues of head pillars associated with the introduction of mechanized stopes in the coal mines in Novaky are described in this paper