This document summarizes the process of digitizing abandoned coal mining maps from Pennsylvania for public use. Key points include: - Maps are scanned, geo-referenced, and digitized by researchers from 9 universities working with the Pennsylvania DEP. - Maps are scanned at high resolution then undergo processing like deskewing, rotating, and mirroring. Important information on the maps like the mine name and location is recorded. - Geo-referencing involves using ArcMap to match control points on the map to a surface image layer to accurately place the map. Digitizing involves marking underground features and coal elevation points. - Over 7,900 maps have been scanned, over 1,800 geo-referenced, and

1. By Kelsey Biondo, Samantha Schafer,
and David Svab

2.  Funded through a grant from the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection
 Purpose: to create a digital archive of
abandoned coal mining maps to be open to the
public
 Working in collaboration with 9 major colleges
and universities
 Maps come from the Wilkes-Barre and
Pottsville DEP offices

3. www.paminemaps.psu.edu

4.  Scanning
 Colortrac Smart LF Scanners
 42 inch
 56 inch
 Smartworks Pro
 Scale of 400 DPI
 Geo-referencing and Digitizing
 ArcMap version 10.2.1
 ESRI
 PASDA (Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access)
 Surface image layer

5.  Pennsylvania Historic Underground Mine
Map Inventory System
 Catalog all maps that are scanned,
geo-referenced, and digitized

6. MAP SCANNING

7.  Initial Scan
 Check for Errors
 Rotate
 Look for a north arrow
 If no north arrow is present, follow alignment of text
 Deskew
 Mirror (if necessary)
 Look for Title

9. GOOD SCAN SCANNING ERROR

10. BEFORE AFTER

11. BEFORE AFTER

12. BEFORE AFTER

13.  Titles are where we find
the information on the
map
 Colliery
 Coal Company
 Coal Vein Name
 Coal Field
 County, Municipality,
Quadrangle
 Scale
 Map Date

14.  Underground Mine Map (UMM)
 Surface Map
 Cross Section Map

18. GEO-REFERENCING SURFACE AND
UNDERGROUND MINE MAPS

19.  Bring desired file into ArcMap
 Find a point on the map that can be matched
up with a point on the PASDA surface image
layer
 Create first “control point”
 Continue until 4 control points have been set
 Check residuals

20.  ArcMap
places the
map into the
wrong place
 Near Santo
Domingo,
Ecuador

21.  Useful control points
 Street crossings
 Buildings
 Bridges
 Grid System
 Use ESRI to find
general location
 Use PASDA to
match control points

22.  Created a
grid layer
in GIS as a
Reference
Guide
 Grid
systems
based on
company
or
colliery?

23.  Snaps
the
map to
the
correct
area
 Jessup,
PA

24.  Rotates the map

25.  Brings the map to the correct scale

26.  Minimizes amount of error in residuals

27.  All control point
residuals must be less
than 5.0

30. DIGITIZING SURFACE AND
UNDERGROUND MINE MAPS

31.  Mark shafts, drifts, and slopes
 Only if they reach the surface
 Draw a polygon around the underground
mining area
 Cut out large areas that are not mined (doughnuts)
 Mark coal elevation points

32. SLOPE DRIFT

33. SHAFTS

34. BEFORE

35. AFTER

37. Dunmore No.1
Dunmore No.2
Dunmore No.3
This image
shows the
layering of 3 coal
seams

38. BEFORE AFTER

39. BEFORE AFTER

40. BEFORE AFTER

41. Coal Elevation Points
Shafts

42.  Maps scanned
 7,923
 Maps geo-referenced
 1,885
 Maps digitized
 515