The Shoemaker Mine has had issues with dangerous gases accumulating behind mine seals. In 2009 there were 6 evacuations due to seals being out of compliance. The mine plans to address this by pumping nitrogen into seals to dilute the gases and keep them within safe levels, starting with the 3 North and 4 South seals which have been particular problems. Proper monitoring of seal atmospheres and the effects of the nitrogen pumping will be important for safety.
Nasir Khan has over 30 years of experience in the design, construction, start-up and commissioning of fired heaters, boilers, flares and related equipment. He has worked on projects for refineries and chemical plants around the world, specializing in the design of steam methane reformers, fired heaters, boilers and NOx reduction systems. Mr. Khan holds engineering and safety certifications and is a member of several professional organizations related to mechanical engineering and the chemical industry.
This document summarizes the construction processes used for a residential development project built over a former landfill site. It describes the site history and characteristics, including the landfill closure. It details the foundations system used, including piles, ground beams, and a landfill gas protection layer beneath the ground slab. It also describes the building structure, including bracing, shear walls, floors, framing, and exterior cladding. Fire resistance and the roof system are also summarized. The challenging aspects of building on a remediated landfill site are discussed.
The Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou, China was designed as an eco-friendly skyscraper that uses wind turbines and solar panels to generate its own energy. Precise construction was required to assemble the 18,000 curved steel pieces that make up the aerodynamic, curved structure. The tower's foundation and basement were built to withstand typhoons and earthquakes, while its double-layer glass facade and energy efficient systems help regulate temperature and reduce emissions.
Chaplin Grout Plant and Headwall Construction Spring 2014Crosstown TO
This document provides information on upcoming tunnel construction works for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT project in Toronto, including the construction of jet grout headwalls at Chaplin station. Key details include:
- Jet grout headwalls will be installed at Chaplin station to support future excavation of the station box using a temporary grout plant located on Gilgorm Avenue over 8-10 months.
- Tunnel boring machine 1 has passed through the west headwall at Keele Street, and tunnel boring machine 2 is following closely behind.
- The grout plant and headwall construction will impact traffic flow on Chaplin Avenue and temporarily close lanes.
The Shoemaker Mine began production in 1966 and was the first to use shield supports for longwall mining. It has had issues with dangerous gases accumulating in sealed areas of the mine. The mine plans to address this by pumping nitrogen into the seals to reduce gas levels and prevent explosions. However, an investigation found that safety records had been falsified at the mine, putting miners' lives at risk. Accurate monitoring and use of precautions like nitrogen are necessary for mine safety.
This document provides a case study of the Middle Fork slurry impoundment operated by Clinchfield Coal Company since 1972. It describes several unique engineering challenges that arose during operation, including abandoning the transition between the 60-inch and 24-inch underflow pipes by drilling a vertical shaft and grouting, installing a new 48-inch principal spillway by directional drilling, and extending the life of the fines recovery operation by reclaiming an adjacent abandoned impoundment. The case study details how these challenges were addressed to safely and environmentally soundly operate the impoundment and fine coal recovery facilities over several decades.
COAL Union of Concerned ScientistsContents· How Coal Was.docxclarebernice
COAL: Union of Concerned Scientists
Contents
· How Coal Was Formed
· How Coal is Mined
· Where Our Coal Comes From
· How Coal is Transported and Processed
· How Coal is Burned
· Environmental and Public Health Impacts of Coal
· The Future of Coal
Many people think coal represents a bygone way of life and that America has moved on to safer and cleaner energy sources. On the contrary, coal provides roughly half the nation’s electricity—far more than any other source of power—and our coal use has nearly tripled since 1960. Our coal use will continue to expand if the power industry succeeds in building the many power plants it has proposed for construction.
Coal’s proponents claim coal power is cheap. While the direct price of electricity from the nation’s aging fleet of coal plants may be low, it doesn’t reflect the staggering and lasting costs of coal-related air and water pollution, mining accidents, permanently altered landscapes, and, most importantly, climate change. Even the newest proposed plants – which would cost far more than existing plants—would have major impacts on air and water quality, and almost the same mining and climate impacts as existing plants.
Technology is evolving that has the potential to substantially reduce coal’s contribution to global warming by capturing carbon emissions before they are emitted. This technology could become an important part of the battle against global warming, but it remains to be seen whether it will work at a commercial scale and at what cost.
Meanwhile, a 2009 UCS study found that we can dramatically reduce our coal use—and all the environmental and social costs associated with it—while saving energy consumers money with policies that aggressively promote energy efficiency and renewable power.
How Coal Was Formed
Coal was formed when dead plant matter submerged in swamp environments was subjected to geological forces of heat and pressure over hundreds of millions of years. As time went by, the plant matter evolved from moist and low-carbon peat, to coal, which is much higher in energy and carbon content. Coal itself has a wide variation in properties, so it is categorized into 4 ranks—lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous, and anthracite—in order of increasing carbon and energy content. Most of the coal burned in U.S. power plants is of the bituminous or subbituminous variety.
Figure 1: The Process of Coal Formation (Source: KGS)
Coal of all types can vary widely in the amount of sulfur contained. These differences are determined by the conditions under which the coal formed. Low-sulfur coal deposits formed in a freshwater environment, while those containing higher proportions of sulfur developed in brackish swamps or marine-influenced environments.[1] In the United States, the sulfur content of coal resources varies along geographic lines, with most of the eastern coal containing high levels of sulfur, and the younger western coal containing much less.
How Coal is Mined
In 2 ...
Nasir Khan has over 30 years of experience in the design, construction, start-up and commissioning of fired heaters, boilers, flares and related equipment. He has worked on projects for refineries and chemical plants around the world, specializing in the design of steam methane reformers, fired heaters, boilers and NOx reduction systems. Mr. Khan holds engineering and safety certifications and is a member of several professional organizations related to mechanical engineering and the chemical industry.
This document summarizes the construction processes used for a residential development project built over a former landfill site. It describes the site history and characteristics, including the landfill closure. It details the foundations system used, including piles, ground beams, and a landfill gas protection layer beneath the ground slab. It also describes the building structure, including bracing, shear walls, floors, framing, and exterior cladding. Fire resistance and the roof system are also summarized. The challenging aspects of building on a remediated landfill site are discussed.
The Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou, China was designed as an eco-friendly skyscraper that uses wind turbines and solar panels to generate its own energy. Precise construction was required to assemble the 18,000 curved steel pieces that make up the aerodynamic, curved structure. The tower's foundation and basement were built to withstand typhoons and earthquakes, while its double-layer glass facade and energy efficient systems help regulate temperature and reduce emissions.
Chaplin Grout Plant and Headwall Construction Spring 2014Crosstown TO
This document provides information on upcoming tunnel construction works for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT project in Toronto, including the construction of jet grout headwalls at Chaplin station. Key details include:
- Jet grout headwalls will be installed at Chaplin station to support future excavation of the station box using a temporary grout plant located on Gilgorm Avenue over 8-10 months.
- Tunnel boring machine 1 has passed through the west headwall at Keele Street, and tunnel boring machine 2 is following closely behind.
- The grout plant and headwall construction will impact traffic flow on Chaplin Avenue and temporarily close lanes.
The Shoemaker Mine began production in 1966 and was the first to use shield supports for longwall mining. It has had issues with dangerous gases accumulating in sealed areas of the mine. The mine plans to address this by pumping nitrogen into the seals to reduce gas levels and prevent explosions. However, an investigation found that safety records had been falsified at the mine, putting miners' lives at risk. Accurate monitoring and use of precautions like nitrogen are necessary for mine safety.
This document provides a case study of the Middle Fork slurry impoundment operated by Clinchfield Coal Company since 1972. It describes several unique engineering challenges that arose during operation, including abandoning the transition between the 60-inch and 24-inch underflow pipes by drilling a vertical shaft and grouting, installing a new 48-inch principal spillway by directional drilling, and extending the life of the fines recovery operation by reclaiming an adjacent abandoned impoundment. The case study details how these challenges were addressed to safely and environmentally soundly operate the impoundment and fine coal recovery facilities over several decades.
COAL Union of Concerned ScientistsContents· How Coal Was.docxclarebernice
COAL: Union of Concerned Scientists
Contents
· How Coal Was Formed
· How Coal is Mined
· Where Our Coal Comes From
· How Coal is Transported and Processed
· How Coal is Burned
· Environmental and Public Health Impacts of Coal
· The Future of Coal
Many people think coal represents a bygone way of life and that America has moved on to safer and cleaner energy sources. On the contrary, coal provides roughly half the nation’s electricity—far more than any other source of power—and our coal use has nearly tripled since 1960. Our coal use will continue to expand if the power industry succeeds in building the many power plants it has proposed for construction.
Coal’s proponents claim coal power is cheap. While the direct price of electricity from the nation’s aging fleet of coal plants may be low, it doesn’t reflect the staggering and lasting costs of coal-related air and water pollution, mining accidents, permanently altered landscapes, and, most importantly, climate change. Even the newest proposed plants – which would cost far more than existing plants—would have major impacts on air and water quality, and almost the same mining and climate impacts as existing plants.
Technology is evolving that has the potential to substantially reduce coal’s contribution to global warming by capturing carbon emissions before they are emitted. This technology could become an important part of the battle against global warming, but it remains to be seen whether it will work at a commercial scale and at what cost.
Meanwhile, a 2009 UCS study found that we can dramatically reduce our coal use—and all the environmental and social costs associated with it—while saving energy consumers money with policies that aggressively promote energy efficiency and renewable power.
How Coal Was Formed
Coal was formed when dead plant matter submerged in swamp environments was subjected to geological forces of heat and pressure over hundreds of millions of years. As time went by, the plant matter evolved from moist and low-carbon peat, to coal, which is much higher in energy and carbon content. Coal itself has a wide variation in properties, so it is categorized into 4 ranks—lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous, and anthracite—in order of increasing carbon and energy content. Most of the coal burned in U.S. power plants is of the bituminous or subbituminous variety.
Figure 1: The Process of Coal Formation (Source: KGS)
Coal of all types can vary widely in the amount of sulfur contained. These differences are determined by the conditions under which the coal formed. Low-sulfur coal deposits formed in a freshwater environment, while those containing higher proportions of sulfur developed in brackish swamps or marine-influenced environments.[1] In the United States, the sulfur content of coal resources varies along geographic lines, with most of the eastern coal containing high levels of sulfur, and the younger western coal containing much less.
How Coal is Mined
In 2 ...
The document summarizes plans to replace the York/Bay/Yonge ramps connecting the Gardiner Expressway to the downtown Toronto waterfront. Key points include:
- The 2013 study recommended removing the elevated ramps and installing a new shorter ramp to Harbour Street ending at Lower Simcoe Street, among other improvements.
- Construction will take place from April 2017 to January 2018. It will involve demolishing the existing ramps and building the new Lower Simcoe ramp. Harbour Street will also be widened.
- Traffic will be impacted as the York/Bay/Yonge ramp will close for the duration of construction. Detours will be in place and traffic management strategies employed to mitigate congestion.
The document discusses open pit mining methods. Open pit mines are used to extract low grade, shallow ore bodies and can mine over 20,000 tonnes per day. They produce two waste streams: waste rock with no economic minerals, and tailings from mineral processing. Pit design considers factors like haul roads, equipment size, pit slopes, and water control. Examples discussed include the large open pit copper mines at Bagdad, Arizona and Highland Valley, British Columbia. Pushbacks are required to deepen the pit by first removing waste rock to access deeper ore zones. Benches are cut into pit walls to achieve steeper yet stable slopes.
The document provides information on the Crescent Mine located in the Coeur d'Alene Mining District of North Idaho. It summarizes the mine's history of production under Bunker Hill ownership from 1917-1981, including that 25 million ounces of silver were produced at an average grade of 27 oz/ton. It also describes recent exploration work by SNS Silver Corp from 2007-2008 that identified indicated resources of 6.1 million ounces and inferred resources of 4.1 million ounces of silver. The document proposes a joint venture between SNS and Syringa Exploration Inc., who plan to bring the mine back into production and further explore its resources, which have the potential for a 20-30 year mine life.
Attleboro Luther's Reservoir Dam & Pump Station RehabilitationThomasSexton8
The document summarizes improvements made to Luther's Reservoir Dam, dike, and pumping station in Attleboro, MA. The original structures from the 1950s/60s were deteriorating and needed upgrades. The project involved replacing the bascule gate, repairing the earthen dike, upgrading the pumping equipment and electrical systems, and waterproofing the station building. Construction started in 2017 and included installing a new automated crest gate, slide gates, pumps, and remote monitoring equipment to modernize the flood control and drinking water infrastructure.
The document summarizes the realignment of the N25 road from Rathsillagh to Harristown Little in County Wexford, Ireland. It took six years to design and complete the project, which involved examining alternative routes, acquiring land, archaeological testing, earthworks, drainage installation, and construction of structures like underbridges and cattle passes. The new road was funded with assistance from the National Roads Authority and European Union Cohesion Fund.
The document summarizes the development of EuroChem's Usolskiy potash mining project in Russia. It discusses the project's location within a region with rich potash reserves. It describes the progress made in sinking two shafts and developing underground infrastructure to extract potash. The project is expected to commence production in late 2017 and will help EuroChem become a top global fertilizer producer.
Jan. 21, 2015 City Council Presentation 2015 Capital Improvement Projects City of Corona
City of Corona Strategic Plan
Goal 5: Improve Circulation and Reduce Traffic
2015 will provide the foundation for significant improvements to help improve traffic circulation within the City of Corona.
Construction of road improvements along with several water & sewer improvements will be noticeable throughout the City.
This document provides an overview of drilling engineering. It discusses the history of drilling beginning in the 1840s using percussion drilling. It describes how rotary drilling was developed to allow for offshore drilling. The document outlines the infrastructure and processes involved in drilling, including offshore and onshore structures, load considerations, drilling rigs, bits, pipes, fluids, cementing, directional drilling, kicks, blowout preventers, completions, wellheads, manifolds, and abandonment. Key aspects driving infrastructure decisions are the economic viability and technical requirements of the reservoir and installation.
A Rotary kiln is a pyroprocessing device used to raise materials to a high temperature (calcination) in a continuous process. Materials produced using rotary kilns include: Cement. Lime.
The document summarizes a silver exploration and mining project located in Idaho's Coeur d'Alene mining district, the second largest silver producing district in the world. The project is located between the historic Bunker Hill and Sunshine mines which together produced nearly half a billion ounces of silver. The Crescent Mine previously produced 25 million ounces of silver from 1917-1981 at an average grade of 27 ounces per ton. The project has existing underground infrastructure and access to nearby milling facilities and experienced mining workforce in the district.
The document discusses the design and construction of the Hoover Dam, including details about its massive scale using 3.4 million cubic meters of concrete, challenges during construction like extreme heat and flooding, and key milestones like excavating diversion tunnels and power station construction to generate hydroelectric power for the surrounding areas. Over 20,000 workers and 112 lives were lost during the 7 year construction process to complete this iconic landmark across the Black Canyon of the Colorado River.
Cowlitz falls paper naes power contractors lewis county pud-finalNAES Corporation
A Challenging Gate Repair at Cowlitz Falls, presented by NAES Power Contractors Director of Maintenance for Hydro, John Stender, and Lewis County PUD Project Engineer Steve Grega at the 2011 HydroVision Conference & Expo July 22.
When coal exposes to air it undergoes Oxidation which gives out various gases such as carbon monoxide, methane etc. along with the evaluation of heat. the reaction takes place even at normal atmospheric temperature but when the temperature and the heat evolved reached ignition temperature of coal, coal catches fire.
The document summarizes the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused by British Petroleum. It provides background on BP, detailing several prior incidents. It then describes the oil spill, which released 780,000 cubic meters of oil over 87 days after an explosion on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect rig, affecting an area of 180,000 square kilometers. Investigations found failures in cement design, blowout preventer mechanisms, and other technical oversight led to the spill. The spill had devastating environmental effects, killing thousands of animals.
Leaside - Laird Construction Liaison Committee Meeting - May 2018Crosstown TO
The document provides updates on construction activities at the Leaside and Laird stations for the Crosstown LRT project. For Leaside station, piling and excavation work is underway and expected to last 3-4 months. Watermain work requiring overnight shutoffs is also planned for May. Lane reductions and turn restrictions will be implemented during subsequent construction stages. Progress photos show excavation and shoring work. For Laird station, 24-hour tunneling is underway and will continue until late 2019, with noise monitoring and community communications ongoing. Progress photos depict excavation at the secondary and main entrances.
Coal Mines How and where are coal mines found in Chhattisgarh Basically, the coal mine of Vishrampur is shown in this, which is spread in its area of Bishrampur or South of Chhattisgarh.
There is coal mine in south east along with it there is also coal mine in Parsa Amira .
Coal mine is basically of 2 types open casting and underground coal mine. Coal mine of Vishrampur both type.
Both types of coal come under the category of mines, in which first open casting is done, after that the underground coal itself comes in different types of coal mines in different districts of Chhattisgarh. There is a coal mine, it has seen different types of uses such as in the food industry, in the cement industry, in the three industries, in the bauxite industry, in the sugarcane industry, as well as in the iron industry.
Coal There are four types of coal, which are shown in the following way in this article,
so you read and understand this article and how did you like it, definitely write in the comment thank you.
Objective Capital Precious Metals, Diamonds and Gemstones Investment Summit
Focus on Silver: Creating precious metals opportunities in the Canadian North
20 May 2010
by Tony Walsh - Sabina Gold & Silver
The document summarizes plans to replace the York/Bay/Yonge ramps connecting the Gardiner Expressway to the downtown Toronto waterfront. Key points include:
- The 2013 study recommended removing the elevated ramps and installing a new shorter ramp to Harbour Street ending at Lower Simcoe Street, among other improvements.
- Construction will take place from April 2017 to January 2018. It will involve demolishing the existing ramps and building the new Lower Simcoe ramp. Harbour Street will also be widened.
- Traffic will be impacted as the York/Bay/Yonge ramp will close for the duration of construction. Detours will be in place and traffic management strategies employed to mitigate congestion.
The document discusses open pit mining methods. Open pit mines are used to extract low grade, shallow ore bodies and can mine over 20,000 tonnes per day. They produce two waste streams: waste rock with no economic minerals, and tailings from mineral processing. Pit design considers factors like haul roads, equipment size, pit slopes, and water control. Examples discussed include the large open pit copper mines at Bagdad, Arizona and Highland Valley, British Columbia. Pushbacks are required to deepen the pit by first removing waste rock to access deeper ore zones. Benches are cut into pit walls to achieve steeper yet stable slopes.
The document provides information on the Crescent Mine located in the Coeur d'Alene Mining District of North Idaho. It summarizes the mine's history of production under Bunker Hill ownership from 1917-1981, including that 25 million ounces of silver were produced at an average grade of 27 oz/ton. It also describes recent exploration work by SNS Silver Corp from 2007-2008 that identified indicated resources of 6.1 million ounces and inferred resources of 4.1 million ounces of silver. The document proposes a joint venture between SNS and Syringa Exploration Inc., who plan to bring the mine back into production and further explore its resources, which have the potential for a 20-30 year mine life.
Attleboro Luther's Reservoir Dam & Pump Station RehabilitationThomasSexton8
The document summarizes improvements made to Luther's Reservoir Dam, dike, and pumping station in Attleboro, MA. The original structures from the 1950s/60s were deteriorating and needed upgrades. The project involved replacing the bascule gate, repairing the earthen dike, upgrading the pumping equipment and electrical systems, and waterproofing the station building. Construction started in 2017 and included installing a new automated crest gate, slide gates, pumps, and remote monitoring equipment to modernize the flood control and drinking water infrastructure.
The document summarizes the realignment of the N25 road from Rathsillagh to Harristown Little in County Wexford, Ireland. It took six years to design and complete the project, which involved examining alternative routes, acquiring land, archaeological testing, earthworks, drainage installation, and construction of structures like underbridges and cattle passes. The new road was funded with assistance from the National Roads Authority and European Union Cohesion Fund.
The document summarizes the development of EuroChem's Usolskiy potash mining project in Russia. It discusses the project's location within a region with rich potash reserves. It describes the progress made in sinking two shafts and developing underground infrastructure to extract potash. The project is expected to commence production in late 2017 and will help EuroChem become a top global fertilizer producer.
Jan. 21, 2015 City Council Presentation 2015 Capital Improvement Projects City of Corona
City of Corona Strategic Plan
Goal 5: Improve Circulation and Reduce Traffic
2015 will provide the foundation for significant improvements to help improve traffic circulation within the City of Corona.
Construction of road improvements along with several water & sewer improvements will be noticeable throughout the City.
This document provides an overview of drilling engineering. It discusses the history of drilling beginning in the 1840s using percussion drilling. It describes how rotary drilling was developed to allow for offshore drilling. The document outlines the infrastructure and processes involved in drilling, including offshore and onshore structures, load considerations, drilling rigs, bits, pipes, fluids, cementing, directional drilling, kicks, blowout preventers, completions, wellheads, manifolds, and abandonment. Key aspects driving infrastructure decisions are the economic viability and technical requirements of the reservoir and installation.
A Rotary kiln is a pyroprocessing device used to raise materials to a high temperature (calcination) in a continuous process. Materials produced using rotary kilns include: Cement. Lime.
The document summarizes a silver exploration and mining project located in Idaho's Coeur d'Alene mining district, the second largest silver producing district in the world. The project is located between the historic Bunker Hill and Sunshine mines which together produced nearly half a billion ounces of silver. The Crescent Mine previously produced 25 million ounces of silver from 1917-1981 at an average grade of 27 ounces per ton. The project has existing underground infrastructure and access to nearby milling facilities and experienced mining workforce in the district.
The document discusses the design and construction of the Hoover Dam, including details about its massive scale using 3.4 million cubic meters of concrete, challenges during construction like extreme heat and flooding, and key milestones like excavating diversion tunnels and power station construction to generate hydroelectric power for the surrounding areas. Over 20,000 workers and 112 lives were lost during the 7 year construction process to complete this iconic landmark across the Black Canyon of the Colorado River.
Cowlitz falls paper naes power contractors lewis county pud-finalNAES Corporation
A Challenging Gate Repair at Cowlitz Falls, presented by NAES Power Contractors Director of Maintenance for Hydro, John Stender, and Lewis County PUD Project Engineer Steve Grega at the 2011 HydroVision Conference & Expo July 22.
When coal exposes to air it undergoes Oxidation which gives out various gases such as carbon monoxide, methane etc. along with the evaluation of heat. the reaction takes place even at normal atmospheric temperature but when the temperature and the heat evolved reached ignition temperature of coal, coal catches fire.
The document summarizes the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused by British Petroleum. It provides background on BP, detailing several prior incidents. It then describes the oil spill, which released 780,000 cubic meters of oil over 87 days after an explosion on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect rig, affecting an area of 180,000 square kilometers. Investigations found failures in cement design, blowout preventer mechanisms, and other technical oversight led to the spill. The spill had devastating environmental effects, killing thousands of animals.
Leaside - Laird Construction Liaison Committee Meeting - May 2018Crosstown TO
The document provides updates on construction activities at the Leaside and Laird stations for the Crosstown LRT project. For Leaside station, piling and excavation work is underway and expected to last 3-4 months. Watermain work requiring overnight shutoffs is also planned for May. Lane reductions and turn restrictions will be implemented during subsequent construction stages. Progress photos show excavation and shoring work. For Laird station, 24-hour tunneling is underway and will continue until late 2019, with noise monitoring and community communications ongoing. Progress photos depict excavation at the secondary and main entrances.
Coal Mines How and where are coal mines found in Chhattisgarh Basically, the coal mine of Vishrampur is shown in this, which is spread in its area of Bishrampur or South of Chhattisgarh.
There is coal mine in south east along with it there is also coal mine in Parsa Amira .
Coal mine is basically of 2 types open casting and underground coal mine. Coal mine of Vishrampur both type.
Both types of coal come under the category of mines, in which first open casting is done, after that the underground coal itself comes in different types of coal mines in different districts of Chhattisgarh. There is a coal mine, it has seen different types of uses such as in the food industry, in the cement industry, in the three industries, in the bauxite industry, in the sugarcane industry, as well as in the iron industry.
Coal There are four types of coal, which are shown in the following way in this article,
so you read and understand this article and how did you like it, definitely write in the comment thank you.
Objective Capital Precious Metals, Diamonds and Gemstones Investment Summit
Focus on Silver: Creating precious metals opportunities in the Canadian North
20 May 2010
by Tony Walsh - Sabina Gold & Silver
2. The Shoemaker Mine was Named in Honor of G.A. “Al” Shoemaker, Retired President of Consolidation Coal Company Mr. Shoemaker was born in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Pennsylvania State University in 1923 Following graduation he pursued an engineering career In 1945 he was elected vice president of one of Consol’s predecessor companies The following year he was elected vice president of the Pittsburgh Coal Company division of Consol, and later became president of that division.
3. Mr. Shoemaker was Elected Executive Vice President of Consol in 1952 and Became a Director in 1956. He was elected executive vice president of Consol in 1952 and became a director in 1956 He was very active in the Western Pennsylvania Coal Operator’s Association He has served as trustee of Pennsylvania State University Coal Operator’s Association and has served as trustee of Pennsylvania State University. He was also active in the American Mining and Metallurgical Engineers; the Pittsburgh Coal Mining Institute; and the Engineer’s Society of Western Pennsylvania.
4. Additional Information Mr. Shoemaker served as a Township Commissioner in his home community of Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania and was active in local civic, educational and business matters.
5. The Shoemaker Mine began Production on September 2, 1966 The first longwall was installed and began full production on April 21, 1975 Shoemaker was the first mine in the United States to use shield supports for longwall mining Shoemaker mine is located in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle just south of Wheeling, West Virginia The preparation plant, supply yard, warehouse and shop are located next to the Ohio River at Benwood The mine portal is located in rural Marshall County, approximately 7.5 miles from Elm Grove on Big Wheeling Creek.
6. The Early Years At this time the mine employed 404 people and produced 2.3 million tons of steam coal per year from the Pittsburgh No. 8 coal seam At start of production the seam was 65 inches thick, and with the draw slate removed during mining, entry height was just over 6 feet . The coal contained 12,4000 BTU’s per pound Most of the coal was and still is barged 200 miles down the Ohio River to an electric power generating plant
7. Coal Preparation Then and Now All of the coal produced is washed at the preparation plant Heavy media vessels accomplish this The coal is produced from longwall and continuous miner sections When Shoemaker mine began production the coal was transported on 42” and 48” belts Currently, the coal is transported on 54” and 60” belts from the face of the 54 mother belts The mother belts dumped the coal into mine cars, and these were hauled in 42 car trips approximately seven miles to the rotary dump at the preparation plant The mine had over nine miles of beltline and over 22 miles of track There is now over 11 miles of beltline.
8. Ventilation Six main fans, five exhausting, accomplished ventilation Over 1.2 million cubic feet of air was passed through the mine each minute The mine had eight shafts, one drift opening, and one slope In order to keep the mine from flooding, over 260,000 gallons of water per day were discharged and treated so that it was clean and safe to put into the streams That amounted to a little over 180 gallons per minute on a 24 - hour basis
9. Rail Cars - Beltline Shoemaker’s Main entrance, referred to as a pitmouth is a tunnel six-and-one-half foot high and twenty-two foot wide It goes under Route 2 and through Boggs Run Hill, sloping gradually upward before reaching the coal seam Loaded and empty coal cars used to travel through the tunnel on their way to and from the preparation plant Shoemaker Mine was the last coal mine in the United States to use this rail haulage system The dangerous rail cars have now been replaced with a $204 million belt project that is now in full production
10. Cost Comparison The cost of opening Shoemaker mine back in 1966 was quoted at ten million dollars At this time this was considered and extremely costly project The new belt project alone was twenty times more expensive even with factoring in inflation
11. Layout of the Mine Shoemaker currently consists of three main portals. The first and original portal is known as the river portal This is also known as the pitmouth, and this is where equipment is brought in and out of the mine The River portal is located in Benwood along the Ohio River Shoemaker Mine ships all of their coal by way of barge
12. The River Portal Consists of Two Major Entries, the Main Line Track, and a Refuse Belt The main line track must constantly be maintained, due to the fact this is where the seals are checked from, and most of the firebossing is done The refuse belt is a belt used to transport the rock and unwanted product extracted from the preparation plant to the refuse dump The coal we mine today, can be cut from the face, hauled out of the coal mine into the prep plant and loaded onto a barge all in one motion
13. Whittaker Portal The next portal going into the mine is Whittaker portal This portal was the main concern during our major belt project This is the location we rehabbed to connect the belts underground to prepare them to haul the coal from the sections and the longwall, up the new slope to the preparation plant and eventually onto a barge
14. Major Belt Project is Completed Now that the major belt project is completed, the majority of employees report to Golden Ridge Portal located in Dallas Pike, West Virginia This is currently where all the action is, right in the middle of our 8 North sections We are currently cutting 3b and 4b sections, in preparation for our next longwall move
15. Future Reserve Our longwall is approximately one hundred breaks fro the Golden Ridge portal The newest section Shoemaker mine is developing is the 8 south section This is located right on the bottom of Golden Ridge and is the future reserve of Shoemaker mine.
16. Seal Locations of the Mine There are many seals at Shoemaker mine; ten of these seal locations are considered a major problem Starting in from the pitmouth 1 North and 1 South were the first seals installed at our mine These are currently checked and monitored from the surface, by borehole
17. The 2 North Seal The next seal installed was the 2 North seal and it is walked and monitored from underground The 2 North seal, for the most part is always in compliance with gas levels
18. The 3 North Seal is One of the Major Problems of Shoemaker Mine It is monitored underground and is not an easy location to check When the barometer levels drop, this seal can have some dangerous gases behind it This particular seal was the first location we plan to pump nitrogen We plan on pumping nitrogen through a four inch wide plastic pipe dropped down fro a borehole The nitrogen can keep the levels in compliance more effectively when we start using it
19. Use of Nitrogen The next seal we plan to pump nitrogen to is the 4 North seal 3 South and 5 North are the next seals going into the mine We plan to pump nitrogen into these seals, but just as a precautionary measure These are monitored underground and are almost always at perfect levels for a seal
20. The 4 South Seal has Been a Major Problem at ShoemakerMine We have had to evacuate the mine three separate occasions in 2009 alone The 4 South seal is our main concern when we begin our nitrogen pumping process We plan to pump nitrogen directly into this seal by way of an existing borehole We believe this can cut the dangerous levels down drastically
21. The 4 South Seal was the Main Reason we are Considering Pumping the Nitrogen Even by cutting the evacuation number in half can save millions of dollars by avoiding these costly evacuations, and most importantly, keeping these levels safe for our mine The Federal Inspectors want to see action taken when dangerous levels occur, and this is a good precautionary measure to take
22. Our Final two Seal Locations are 6 North and 6 North Bleeder Seals In the history of our mine these two seals have not given us a problem We do not plan on pumping in to these locations, but we are prepared to if necessary
23. History of Issues With Seals Shoemaker mine has had an issue with seals, and evacuations. In the year 2009 we had a total of six mine evacuations These costly mine evacuations totaled sixty hours of total down time This is a very serious subject that must be addressed as soon as possible These deadly gases that accumulate in the seals are a miner’s worst nightmare
24. Not Only is it Unsafe it is One of the Most Mostly Situations that Can Occur Every evacuation that occurred at our mine was due to seals being out of compliance with gases We plan to cut back on these evacuations with the use of a nitrogen pumping system Each sampling pipe and approved sampling location shall be sampled at least every twenty-four hours Atmospheres with seals less than 120 psi constructed before October 20, 2008 shall be monitored for methane and oxygen concentrations and maintained inert
25. Seal Monitoring The mine operator may request for an approval for different sampling locations and frequencies in the ventilation plan, provided at least one sample is taken at each set of seals at least every seven days Mines with an approved ventilation plan addressing spontaneous combustion pursuant to part 75.334 (f), must sample the sealed atmosphere in accordance with the ventilation plan
26. Spontaneous Combustion is the Biggest Safety Hazard in Dealing with Dangerous Gases This is our number one concern in keeping these gases in range We strongly believe pumping nitrogen can reduce the risk of spontaneous combustion and other dangerous hazards Properly monitoring these seals is the most important thing, when installing these pumps Checks must be done thoroughly and correctly
27. There are mines that have abused monitoring their seals Federal Number 2 mine is temporarily shut down after state investigators discovered explosive materials in the mine The state has also launched an investigation into falsified documents at the mine
28. Safety Levels of Gases The District Manager of MSHA may approve in the ventilation plan the use of a continuous monitoring system in lieu of monitoring provisions in this section Except as provided in section 75.336 (d), the atmosphere in the sealed area is considered inert when the oxygen concentration is less than ten percent or the methane concentration is less than three percent, or greater than twenty percent When the gases are checked, and are out of this range all miners must evacuate immediately
29. Precautionary Measures At this time the only people that are allowed back in the mine are those responsible for correcting the problem There must also be a statement sent to MSHA, of the action taken to correct this problem When the problem has been corrected, and the gases are back in compliance, once again the entire mine must then be examined
30. Precautionary Measures cont. In a sealed area with a demonstrated history of carbon dioxide or sealed areas where inert gases have been injected, the mine foreman may request that the district manager approve in the ventilation plan an alternative method to determine if the sealed atmosphere is inert and when the miners have to be withdrawn The mine operator must also address in the ventilation plan the specific levels of methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and oxygen; the sampling methods and equipment used; and the methods used to evaluate these concentrations underground at the seal
31. Record keeping is another action that must be done The certified person shall promptly record each sampling result including the location of the sampling points, whether in gassing or out gassing, and oxygen and methane concentrations The results of oxygen and methane samples must be recorded as the percentage of oxygen and methane measured by the certified person, and any hazardous condition found in accordance with part 75.363 The mine must retain these sampling records for at least one year from the date of the sampling
32. False Records The state Office of Miner’s Health Safety and Training is investigating reports of falsified safety records after the incident, said Jama Jarrett the communications officer for OMHST Jarrett said her investigators found the methane buildup in the mine while investigating the records One mine foreman told investigators he entered a false mandatory safety check on January 24, 2010 despite not having performed the examination, Jarrett said
33. Investigation The Mine Safety and Health administration (MSHA) would not comment on the investigation The U.S. Attorney’s Office also refused to comment when calls where directed from MSHA United Mine Workers International Vice President and Delegate Mike Caputo, D-Marion, said he is aware of the investigation- “It will be investigated and if that happened then those individuals deserve to be punished. But that investigation is ongoing and we’ll just have to see what the outcome of that is. But I’m certainly not going to feel sorry for anyone who puts the lives of coal miners in jeopardy by falsifying a document,” said Caputo.
34. Patriot Coal made no comment on the investigation into falsified documents A statement was released however, on February 22, 2010 about the status of Federal No. 2 mine It stated the mine has temporarily suspended active mining operations at Federal No. 2 after discovering potentially adverse atmospheric conditions Thursday, February 18, 2010 Patriot says it is currently conducting additional testing and is working with the US Department of Labor and MSHA to develop a plan to address the issue so that active mining operations can resume Patriot is unsure of when that will be
35. Costly Shut Down due to Danger Mine operators evacuated and shut down the Federal No. 2 Mine on February 12 and again on February 18, officials said On February 23rd the 400-500 miners who work at Federal No. 2 were still hearing a message from Patriot Coal telling them the mine is idle until further notice An explosive level of the mixture of methane and oxygen was found in at least one of the mine fills at Federal No.2, said officials at the Office of Miner’s Health, Safety and Training
36. Abused Monitoring There could be up to 90 fills in that mine, which are areas that have already been mined and are now sealed off and filled in as a safety precaution State regulations require those areas to be checked every 24 hours official stated Companies normally add nitrogen to eliminate the explosive mixture, but Patriot Coal officials have not said if that is what they will do in this situation, since they have already abused monitoring
37. Nitrogen can be Very Helpful to a Coal Mine But you must obey the monitoring laws Before workers are allowed back into the mine, operators must submit a re-entry plan to the Mine Safety and Health administration, officials said As of February 22, 2010, MSHA officials were meeting with the mine operator to discuss that plan
38. Sago Mine Disaster In regards to the Sago Mine, nothing has been confirmed as to what caused the explosion It is believed by experts in the field that combustible gasses were present the day of the disaster and have been present prior to this costly accident The proper use of nitrogen and more importantly accurate and precise monitoring could have saved many lives