Highwall mining system, conveyor segment and method for providing such a mining system

1. Highwall mining system comprising:

a cutterhead,

a train of conveyor segments connecting to the cutterhead,

a base structure connecting to the train of conveyor segments opposite the side connecting to the cutterhead, and:

a gas feed running from the base structure to the cutterhead for guiding inert gas to the environment of the cutterhead,

wherein at least one of the conveyor segments comprises a channel that is incorporated in the gas feed,

wherein adjoining conveyor segments comprise releasable connected tubes for guiding inert gas.

2. Highwall mining system according claim 1 , wherein the tubes of adjoining conveyor segments are connected with an intermediate inflatable sealing.

3. Highwall mining system according to claim 1 , wherein the gas feed for feeding inert gas to the environment of the cutterhead is connected to the exhaust of a combustion engine that is part of the base structure.

4. Highwall mining system according claim 3 , wherein the gas feed is connected to the combustion engine with an intermediate conditioning unit.

5. Conveyor segment for use in a train of conveyor segments of a highwall mining system,

wherein the segment comprises a gas channel having at least two sides for the transportation of an inert gas, and wherein the gas channel is incorporated in the frame of the conveyor segment, and

wherein at least one of the sides of the gas channel is provided with a closure.

6. Conveyor segment according to claim 5 , wherein the gas channel is longitudinally positioned in the conveyor segment.

7. Conveyor segment according to claim 5 , wherein the length of the gas channel of a conveyor segment substantially corresponds with the length of the conveyor segment.

8. Conveyor segment according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the open sides of the gas channel is provided with coupling means.

9. Conveyor segment according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the open sides of the gas channel is provided with inflatable coupling means.

10. Conveyor segment according to claim 5 , wherein the closure leaves the gas channel substantially free when the gas channel is coupled to an adjoining gas channel.

11. Method for providing a highwall mining system that creates a substantially inert atmosphere for a cutterhead of the mining system, by providing a channel from an exhaust of a combustion engine that is part of a base structure of the mining system to the environment of the cutterhead, which cutterhead is separated from the base structure by a train of conveyor segments,

wherein the channel for transportation of the inert gas is provided with the coupling of the conveyor segments, by coupling of channel parts integrated with the conveyor segments,

wherein each conveyor segment comprises a channel part and at least one of the conveyor segments has closure means, and

wherein during coupling of adjacent channel parts of adjacent conveyor segments the closure means of the at least one of the conveyor segment are opened.

12. Method according to claim 11 , wherein a conditioning unit is placed between the combustion engine and the channel.