Device for determining the cutting horizon of a mining extraction system, and pan element therefor

A device for determining a cutting horizon of an associated mining winning system comprising:

• a movable conveyor including individual pan elements, each pan element having a conveyor pan having an upper run and a lower run, and a guide section installed on a working face side of the conveyor pan as a machine guide for an associated winning machine, and
• at least one optical detection sensor having a sensor head which is received in a sensor carrier and can be pressed by at least one pressure means against an associated coal/basement rock boundary layer which is to be sensed,
• wherein, the individual pan elements are distributed over a length of the conveyor, at least one pan element is configured as a sensor pan which is provided with a protected recess in the pan which is open to the associated basement rock and in which the sensor carrier is arranged such that the sensor carrier can be disassembled together with the sensor head.