[KentuckyHillBilly5321]

Cross--

The pictures were great (somehow--I missed them the first time).

I do have some more questions:
*What type of initial training does a miner receive? (Is it apprentice type work or classroom study type stuff?)
*In the roofbolt pictures--what is the purpose of a roofbolting? Is this how they keep the ceiling stable (please excuse my stupidity here).
*What do they use to start cutting out the mine? (Is it similar to a self miner? I could kind of see how that would make some sense?)
*Low long does it take to initally cut a mine?
*Do they always put tracks in through the mines for the machinery?

*And lastly--what is it like in a mine? Dusty, cold, damp?

Again--thanks. I really appreciate it. Showing me the website just made me more curious (and also a great deal more respectful of what you guys do)

[thetribe]

KH I'm not a professional but mines are very dusty. Sometimes mud and water can be up very high and you have to work in it and walk through it. Coal dust makes it hard to breath and makes up the "dusty" part of it. That's what you always see miners covered it. It's hard to get off sometimes and likes to stay in cracks in men's hands and everything.

Roofbolting is done to support the roof of the mines so it will not collaspe. The big bolts are drilled into the roof by a machine and it is to keep the roof of the mines stable so the men can work under it.

Lots of coal miners go into the mines with little or no experience. They have some knowledge of the jobs because their fathers, uncles, cousins, and brothers have done the same work. There are training courses on it. They have to take mining safety tests and things like that as well. They can get hands on training through some programs, they have been advertising a couple on television. Alot of the time though the men have been exposed to the job since they were very young and have basic understanding so when they get the job other men from the mines just train them as they go along.

Mines have something similar to roads so the machinery can run in and stuff. The mantrip has a track underground so the men can get it on and ride to the break and stuff that their machinery is at and where the work underground.

Sorry that I can't be more help, I've just heard my dad and family talk alot about it and my dad has been working underground for a LOOONG time now so I've been around it all of my life.

[Crossbones]

Cross--

The pictures were great (somehow--I missed them the first time).

I do have some more questions:
*What type of initial training does a miner receive? (Is it apprentice type work or classroom study type stuff?)
*In the roofbolt pictures--what is the purpose of a roofbolting? Is this how they keep the ceiling stable (please excuse my stupidity here).
*What do they use to start cutting out the mine? (Is it similar to a self miner? I could kind of see how that would make some sense?)
*Low long does it take to initally cut a mine?
*Do they always put tracks in through the mines for the machinery?

*And lastly--what is it like in a mine? Dusty, cold, damp?

Again--thanks. I really appreciate it. Showing me the website just made me more curious (and also a great deal more respectful of what you guys do)

To touch on what the Tribe stated.
1.Initial training is required to work in a coal mines, it is generally a 48 hour class (class room work). It will give you a bacis understanding of what goes on underground. It is required and you cannot enter until completed. At that time you can work underground but cannot operate any equipment for 90 working days, usually longer. During the 90 days you would be trained on the equipment or doing actual manual type labor.
2. Roof bolts are steel rods ranging anywhere from 36" to 12' long and are put into the rock above the coal seam after it is removed. The purpose is to hold the rock in a beam like manner over your head. Believe me, it does work. Yes falls do happen, but the theory is very sound. There are metal plates usually 8"x8" at the head of the bolt kinda like a big washer which will hold up any scaley type rock called drawrock. Something to think about. Roofbolter operators walk where no other man has ever walked before. They are the first person to step there. Kinda cool.
3. If you are refering to a new mines started from the outside. It will be faced up using dozers and endloader until there is a face of coal infront of you. Then the continuous miners will cut out the coal, usually 20' wide and anywhere from 20' to 35' deep and however high the coal seam is. After the cut is made the miner will back out and the roof bolter will move in and put up the roofbolts. Usually in a pattern of 4 in a row and 5 to 7 rows deep. Then the process starts over again.
3. If you are refering to 1 cut of coal it usually takes about 25 to 35 min. to complete for the roofbolter to take over. A very good producing mine will average about 18 cuts shift. Meaning they cut about 550 producably foot of coal a shift. That averages to about 4000 tons of coal a shift.
4. No not all mines put track in. ( the kinda track on a railroad) Some of the smaller companies do not because it is a great expense. Most larger companies do and it is used to transport the workers around in the mine and to haul the supplies and equipement if needed. The equipment is mobil and can move on there own wheels or tracks like on a dozer.

[Crossbones]

I forgot to add. It is normally around 60 degress year round. Usually damp, sometimes wet. It is dusty but not as bad as you would think. The reason most miners are really black is because the oil in their skin attracts the dust. It is very dark. Imagine putting your hand in front of your face and not being able to see it. That is what it is like when your light goes out.

[thetribe]

Thanks Cross. I saw the questions and tried to answer all that I could.
Like I said, I don't really know much but I told him what I could remember of what my dad had said and stuff like that. He was gone fishing yesterday or I would have asked him so my answers could have been more accurate.

[Batpuff]

I was just reading, and the minner that is still in the hospital has just got a slight fever, but the good news is that he is responding to painful stimula.

[thetribe]

Awesome, sounds like he is going to pull out of this situation quite well.

For the other miner's family's sake, I hope that they find other notes like have been reported to been searched for. I would want to know what my family member had to say in a situation like that.

[BallaBaby]

Yea I would want to know also Tribe.

[CatDawg]

Accually, I'm disabled. I hurt my back (lower back, herniated two disc at the same time) two years ago. I was told I couldn't lift over 10#, and couldn't go back to work. I really miss it (believe it or not). I enjoyed working in the mines and made alot of money to boot.:link:

Hate to hear that CB hope all is pretty well now.