薄煤层占我国煤炭总储量的20%，受狭小采掘空间等特殊条件制约，薄煤层开采效益差、智能化水平低，产量仅占煤炭总产量的10%。

　　基于薄煤层多样性赋存条件和提高工作面单产、卸压效果与采出率的不同开采需求，将薄煤层开采的技术需求分为3类：薄煤层长壁智能化综采、薄煤层保护层智能化开采和薄煤层高采出率开采技术。

　　系统分析了我国薄煤层矿井开采设计、长壁综采装备、智能化开采技术、半煤岩巷道掘进和极薄煤层开采技术等方面的研究现状，详细介绍了3类薄煤层开采技术的研究进展，具体包括：

　　①在长壁综采工作面智能化方面，提出了放大采区(面)尺寸、降低采掘高度的立体化设计方法，开发了薄煤层开采方法、设备配套等辅助决策专家系统，研制了大功率、矮机身半煤岩快速掘进机及其支护机具和矮型化超长综采工作面成套装备，研发了“基于煤层条件精准探测预设割煤轨迹+三机协同控制+视频监控”的智能化开采技术;

　　②在高瓦斯薄煤层保护层智能化开采方面，揭示了卸压开采的应力-损伤-渗流耦合作用机制，提出了长壁面极限卸压采厚与钻采面卸压增透合理参数确定方法，研发了基于瓦斯浓度调控的智能割煤技术;

　　③在提高薄煤层采出率方面，研发极薄煤层的长壁综采自动化技术和五钻头自动换钻螺旋钻采煤机，开发了不同种类的薄煤层沿空留巷技术。

　　提高薄煤层采掘装备的适应性和控制精度，构建智能开采与灾害防控一体化理论与技术将是薄煤层智能开采技术的研究方向。

Thin coal seams account for 20% of China’s total coal reserves.Due to restricting by special conditions,such as narrow mining space,thin coal seam has poor mining efficiency and low intelligent level, thin coal seams output accounts for only 10% of total coal production. Based on the diverse conditions of thin coal seams and the different mining needs to increase the unit production, pressure relief effect and production rate of the working face, the technical requirements for thin seam mining are divided into three categories: longwall intelligent comprehensive mining of thin seams, and protection of thin seams intelligent mining and thin coal seam high recovery rate mining technology. The status quo of research on mining design of thin coal seam mines, longwall comprehensive mining equipment, intelligent mining technology, semi-coal rock roadway mining and ultra-thin coal seam mining technology is systematically analyzed, and the research progress of three types of thin coal seam mining technology is introduced in detail,specifically includes: ①In terms of intelligent long-wall fully-mechanized mining face, a three-dimensional design method for enlarging the size of the mining area (face) and reducing the mining height is proposed, and the auxiliary decision-making expert system such as the thin coal seam mining method and equipment supporting was developed,a high-power, short-body semi-coal rock rapid heading machine and its supporting equipment , short-type ultra-long fully-mechanized mining face complete equipment and “accurate detection of preset coal cutting trajectories based on coal seam conditions + three-machine cooperative control + video monitoring” intelligent mining technology were developed;② In the intelligent mining of high gas and thin coal seam protective layers, the stress-damage-seepage coupling mechanism of pressure relief mining was revealed,and the method to determine the reasonable parameters of the ultimate pressure relief thickness of the longwall and the pressure relief and permeability enhancement of the drilling and production surface is put forward.A method for determining reasonable parameters of pressure relief and permeability enhancement in coal mining face and intelligent coal cutting technology based on gas concentration regulation were researched;③ In terms of improving thin coal seam recovery rate, longwall fully-mechanized mining technology for ultra-thin coal seams and five-bit automatic drill-changing auger coal mining machine and the technology to keep lanes along thin seams in different conditions have been developed. The research direction of thin coal seam intelligent mining technology is improving the adaptability and its control accuracy of thin coal seam mining equipment, and building the theory and technology of the integration of intelligent mining and disaster prevention and control.