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Jan 1, 1974

Jan 1, 1927

By Scott Dupont

Due to the scarcity of miners, and the necessity of decreasing the cost of mining, the Phelps-Dodge Corporation, Stag Canon Branch, at Dawson, [ ] New Mexico, decided to try, by various methods of mining, to increase the tonnage of coal mined per man, per day. With this in view, they first tried mining on a 250-foot face, maintaining the track at the face and using six to eight men shovel- [ ] ling. These men were able to aver age from ten to twelve tons each per, day when they were loading, but with

Jan 1, 1926

Mr. Pickett's remarks were primarily concerned with the legislative aspects of the coal industry. Mr. Pickett stated that as a result of the 1952 election, only two senators and eleven representatives are now in the legislature who have ever served under a republican administration. He said there are 425 legislative issues now on the floor of Congress concerning the coal industry, but the coal industry has difficulty in legislation, because, although there are 31 coal states, only 11 states produce more than 5,000,000 tons per year, and 11 states produce between 500,000 and 5,000,000 tons of coal a year. In these states there are 44 senators and 195 representatives, less than a majority in either house, if all could be counted on to support the coal industry. An important committee to the coal industry is tile House Ways and Means Committee, composed of 25 members, 15 Republicans and 10 Democrats. Even with the support of the senators and representatives from these 22 states, legislative action is difficult.

Jan 1, 1954

PRESIDENT WHITESIDE: I am sure we are very grateful indeed for this very interesting talk that Mr. McClure has given us. If anyone has any questions to ask Mr. McClure I am sure he will be glad to answer them at this time. MR. WEITZEL: I want to ask Mr. McClure whether in the instance he described by-passing the drier, whether there was any rest period between the crusher and the furnace, whether the powdered coal that was not dry was allowed to rest in the pipe or was blown directly into combustion chambers. MR. McCLURE: Yes, it moved directly; there might have been some difference had we given it an opportunity to rest. We just had to get in and get out so as not to interfere with operations. MR. WEITZEL: Your idea is, even though you did use a high moisture lignite, you could store it under water if you eliminated surface moisture later. That is a new idea to me; I always had thought that you had to reduce the moisture down under 2 per cent, and to try to store it with anything more than that, any higher moisture, you would have to break the stuff loose again, as it gets so hard it won't move. MR. McCLURE: It might develop I am absolutely wrong; I am just saying what I observed, and I may have had some unusual condition, which I did not detect; something may actually develop which will make my statement of drying lignite entirely wrong. It was quite a surprise to me, surprise to every-

Jan 1, 1923

The nineteenth regular meeting of the Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute at Rock Springs, Wyoming, was called to order in conjunction with the Wyoming State Safety and First Aid Meet, at 2 p. m., Thursday, August 7, 1924, by President William Littlejohn of Castlegate, Utah. Meeting opened by invocation by Father Welsh. Address of Welcome by Mayor P. C. Bunning and key to city presented to President Littlejohn. Response to address, of welcome made by President Littlejohn. Minutes of the last regular meeting read and approved. Report of officers: Financial statement by Secretary-Treasurer Shubart, who stated that there was $1,225.68 in the treasury and requested that the report be referred to an auditing committee for examination and approval. Motion by Mr. Pryde that the report be referred to an auditing committee. Seconded by Mr. Robinson. Carried. A committee of three, consisting of Messrs. Murphy, McKeehan and Gibson, were appointed by President Littlejohn to examine the report, and approve it. As no time was found during the meeting, the Committee was instructed to report later by mail. Report of Standing Committees: Mr. Pryde stated that the report of the Safety Committee would he presented at the morning session, August 8th. Report of Special Committees: None. Unfinished business: President Littlejohn stated that some action should he taken on the interchanging of certificates in the four states of New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. A committee should probably be appointed from each of the states, and the matter left in their hands to try if possible to get their legislators to put some law into effect which will make the certificates in all these four states interchangeable. President Littlejohn also stated that the subject had been brought up, through correspondence, of changing the emblem of the Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute, which is the old oil lamp, and that he had had a letter from Mr. C. M. Schloss, who stated that inasmuch as the old oil pit lamp was symbolic of mining it should be retained so that unless someone had any

Jan 1, 1924

PRESIDENT LITTLEJOHN: Is there any member that has any question to ask Mr. McCleary on the subject? MR. TESCHER: What do you figure it costs to do this? MR. McCLEARY: Between one and a half and one and three-quarters cents per kilowatt hour. MR. TESCHER: That includes all charges? MR. McCLEARY: All charges, fuel and labor. PRESIDENT LITTLEJOHN: Mr. McCleary, you were talking about a ten-inch top on the cars. Don't you find there is considerable spillage when raising or lowering the cars? MR. McCLEARY : Not after the men get accustomed to loading cars properly; at first, they just loaded it on in any old way, but wall it onto the cars solidly after a few days at the mine. I do not think we have that condition now. PRESIDENT LITTLEJOHN: Did I understand from the paper there that the rock dust you are using contains 90 per cent silica? MR. McCLEARY: Twenty; less than twenty. PRESIDENT LITTLEJOHN: I got that figure wrong. Are there any other questions to ask? MR. SCHLOSS: I would like to know what kind of machinery Mr. McCleary is using for rock dusting and are they rock dusting the rooms, or not? MR. McCLEARY: We have only recently started rock dusting, and the machine that we are using is Mr. Tescher's machine. We start in at the face of the main entry and move against the air current rock dusting every room and the entry every 50 feet. Every 50 feet, we stop the machine fifteen or twenty minutes at that point and rock dust up in the room and around the entry at that point. PRESIDENT LITTLEJOHN: Do you do any water sprinkling at the faces-at the working face? MR. McCLEARY: Yes, sir, every working face is sprinkled every day, and at least every two days at all points in the mine. PRESIDENT LITTLEJOHN: Does it affect the rock dust in any way? MR. McCLEARY: That was true before we started rock dusting. The faces only are sprinkled now. PRESIDENT LITTLEJOHN: Where you stop to sprinkle with water, you do not figure on rock dusting? MR. McCLEARY: I will just change that around. Where we do rock dusting, we do not expect to sprinkle. Where the faces of the coal are fresh, from day to day, that is where the sprinkling will be clone. PRESIDENT LITTLEJOHN: That is the fresh faces? MR. McCLEARY: Yes. I might add right here, I believe Mr. Tescher made the statement that cross-cuts up an 8 per cent pitch were the steepest that

Jan 1, 1925

The first Mine Rescue Performance Evaluation for mine rescue teams was held just prior to the 1992 RMCMI convention meeting schedule on June 27 and 28. Six teams took part in this year's evaluation; Decker Coal, Decker, Montana; BHP Minerals' White Team and BHP Minerals' Purple Team, both of Aztec, New Mexico; Kerr McGee Coal Corporation, Jacob's Ranch Mine, Gillette, Wyoming; The Coteau Properties Company, Freedom Mine, Beulah, North Dakota and The Falkirk Mining Company, Falkirk Mine, Underwood, North Dakota. This was the first mine rescue evaluation program developed to measure a unit's proficiency in their skills rather than emphasis on a ranking order of teams. The objectives for the evaluation were to promote learning and to evaluate the current level of experience of the attending rescue units. The priority goal for this evaluation was to recognize current rescue skills, knowledge and abilities of each team participating. In doing this, each team is provided with individual evaluations and a path for improvement as needed. [ ] Realistic industrial related scenarios, closely simulating the stress of actual rescue incidents, was provided by members of the Hermosa Cliffs Colorado Fire Department under the direction of Dan Noonan, Fire Chief. On Saturday, June 27, five rescue scenarios were presented for each team to complete and on Sunday three of a more difficult nature were encountered by each team. On the final day of the RMCMI convention two of the teams performed rescue demonstra¬tions. Onlookers were afforded the opportunity to view the teams in action as they simulated actual rescue operations. The value and importance of mine rescue teams such as those participating in this year's Rescue Team Performance Evaluation are very evident as in many cases they are the only rescue personnel and medical staff on the work site in case of an emergency. Most of these persons are volunteers who spend many hours studying, practicing and perfecting their expertise in the lifesaving techniques needed in the event of a mine emergency. At the same time, they are very qualified coal miners who perform their respective duties at their mine locations, Their dedication to gaining the most knowledge they can get to handle these life and death situations is evident in their participation in evaluations such as this one. [ ] If a highly educational, informative, sharing of knowledge and expertise, while at the same time providing a very enjoyable experience, deems this evaluation a success ... the Rescue Team Performance Evaluation held during the RMCMI Convention at Tamarron this year was certainly a SUCCESS!! It is hoped that you can all enjoy this same experience with us next year! Linda G. Ash The Falkirk Mining Company [ ]

Jan 1, 1992

By E. R. Gibson

It is quite generally conceded that the coal mining industry is among the most progressive in the adoption of modern and efficient equipment and mining methods, but most woefully antiquated in many respects in the matter of systematic accounting. The cause of this condition is problematical, but is usually thought to be due to false economy. We realize that those who do not understand accounts, or like accounting, are inclined to be disdainful of accounts and statistics, and to under-estimate the benefits derived from the expense and labor involved in proper accounting. The business that is run without a proper accounting system is subject to haphazard financing and courts disaster. Furthermore, the operator who disposes of his product without due regard to the requirements of the industry as a whole, as reflected in the cost of doing business, is an unfair competitor. No one will deny that the possible production of coal in the United States is much in excess of the demand. While it is true there is an occasional shortage in certain localities, it is due to temporary abnormal conditions which are overcome in a short period of time, when the mines are again obliged to take idle time, and herein lies the danger, not alone to the operator who neglects to keep informed as to operating costs; but to his competitor as well. While physical conditions and operating methods differ materially, accounting methods must likewise differ in some respects, but irrespective of how the result may be obtained, a true statement of cost is absolutely essential. Daily cost statements may be preferred by some, but have proven unsatisfactory, generally speaking, because of variation in production as well as in both labor and material expense from day to day; therefore, we will confine our attention to a monthly cost statement. To be most effective, operating cost statements should be prepared and submitted to the officers as soon after the close of the month's busi¬ness as possible, to enable them to remedy any defects in the operations that might be discovered by an analysis thereof. Opinions differ materially with respect to the most efficient method of compiling and the distribution of labor and material. The writer believes that a time book which provides space in which to enter the number of hours worked each day of the month by each employe, together with distribution thereof, is the most accurate, simple and complete. This record will show the service performed by an employe each day of the month and the account to which same is properly chargeable. This, of course, refers only to the employe working by the-day or month. While there can be but little said concerning the compiling and distribution of miners' wages, as the weighman's bulletin used almost

Jan 1, 1921

By R. A. Marshall

Much has been written by men connected with the coal mining industry, and mining laws have been enacted for the safety of the men employed in the mines, and for the protection of property connected therewith. It seems almost impossible for anyone to select a subject that has not already been read, discussed and put into effect, especially in the coal mines of Western America. There is, however, a subject of much interest to the mining public, and to which I have given a great deal of study and consideration, and which I believe will be received by this convention, and will be given due consideration in the future in applying it to the safety of the mine,- "Efficiency in Shot Firing." Beginning with 1865, and for a period of 28 years in the state of Colorado, the annual reports of the chief inspectors show that 1159 coal miners were killed in the following manner: Five hundred eighty-two by falls of rock and coal ; 517 by gas and dust explosions; 6o by careless handling of explosives and the shooting of coal by the, individual, miner. It is my firm belief that 75 per cent of these fatal accidents might have been avoided, if a safe and proper shot firing system had been installed, at each and every mine. This may sound unreasonable, but I believe that the blasting of coal by the individual miner, and the use of black powder, squibs and fuse has, in reality, caused the death of many miners, from shock after blasting, the shooting out 'of timbers, and working in powder smoke, which fatal accidents were attributed to falls of rock or coal. These conditions led the people of Colorado, through their representatives of the General Assembly of Colorado, to enact a new coal mining law, and in 1913 this law became effective, containing twelve sections devoted to the subject of Efficiency in the System of Shot Firing. During the period 1913 to 1920, the employment of a shot firer, the use of permissible. powder, and the electric hand battery has resulted in safer mines, safer miners and safer shot firers, and I believe every coal mine in the state should employ first-class, certified shot firers, use permissible powder and fire the shots with an electric hand battery. I believe where gas generates in dangerous quantities, which is generally determined by inspection of the mine, and the daily report, the shooting in. such a mine should be done by electric battery located outside of the mine. Where permissible powder is used, I have seen the shot firer start down the mine with a belt around his waist containing one hundred caps, a safety lamp to test for gas, and an open light to ignite the fuse. Would it not be much safer for the shot firer if he used the electric hand battery? In non-gaseous mines where black powder is used, I have. seen the miners carry fuse into the mine, and shot firers have been known to partly tamp the holes, which was

Jan 1, 1921

By F. A. Young

A description of the dry process coal cleaning plant which has been built and operated by St. Louis, Rocky Mountain & Pacific Company at their mine at Brilliant, New Mexico, should at first be a description of the special machinery which is used in this process. This equipment consists primarily of screens for sizing the coal into six different sizes all smaller than 1 ½ inch and the pneumatic machines for cleaning each size. These machines are patented and were manufactured by Sutton, Steele & Steele of Dallas, Texas, until a few months ago when all rights of sale were acquired by the American Coal Cleaning Corporation. These screens, a plan of which is now before you, are called anti-gravity screens because the coal travels up hill. The screens which we have at Brilliant are 3 feet wide and 7 feet 4 inches long. They consist of one upper deck which slopes upward in the direction of the flow of the coal, at an angle of 12 degrees. This deck is a wire mesh screen the size of which determines the size of oversize from that screen. Under this is a lower deck with a slope of 7 degrees. This is a solid bottom and is for advancing the undersize to the next screen. On account of the difference in pitch of these decks they are about 11 inches apart at the discharge end, which allows the oversize to be taken off at one or both sides and the undersize to fall only a few inches on to the following screen. This is perhaps the most valuable point in this patent as it allows any number of screens to be placed on a-level floor, tandem in a battery without elevating or rehandling the coal in any way. The length of the screens corresponds to the proper spacing of the cleaning tables which naturally operate on the floor below. I know of no other screen which can be operated in this way. The coal is caused to travel by a reciprocating motion. A shaft as shown near the center of the screen box and under it has an eccentric at each side of the screen with connecting rods attached near the rear of the screen box. The screen box is attached to the stationary under frame by means of cast iron plates extending full width across the screen box. These are placed at an angle as shown so that the forward motion of the eccentrics causes the screen box to rise as it moves forward and the backward motion drops the screen from under the coal thereby causing it to advance. The coal advancing over the screen cloth in this rolling or jumping motion causes very perfect sizing. It should be stated here that very accurate sizing is necessary for the success of the cleaning tables. The stroke is 1 inch and the speed 350 revolutions per minute. In describing the pneumatic cleaning table, I place before you a plan furnished by the makers. The basic principle is that if a film of coal one to two inches thick and all of nearly the same size pieces is placed on a flat perforated surface and a large volume of air passed through it, the lighter particles which are the clean coal will soon find their way to the top of the film, while the heavier particles, or waste, will remain on the bottom. The machine is built with a perforated deck about 4 feet square under which is an air chamber and air duct connecting with a fan which is part of the machine. The deck of the table has a reciprocating motion the same as the screens already described, which tends to advance the product up a slight slope which is adjustable. The coal is fed at one corner of the table as shown and the deck slopes also away from the feed and at right angles to the reciprocating motion. On top of the perforated deck are riffles about 2 inches apart and running parallel to the line of reciprocating motion. These riffles are about 1/2 inch high at the fan and feed side of the table and taper to nothing at the far side. When the coal is fed on to the table, the air through the perforations tends to raise it 'and roll it over these riffles down the slope toward the clean coal discharge. The heavier particles do not get over the riffles so rapidly and the reciprocating motion is constantly pushing them

Jan 1, 1923

Jan 1, 1986

By Stanley C. Suboleski

Overview ? Ten minutes or ?the hook? ? Focus on Appalachia, productivity and production ? Message: ? Appalachian mining scene has fundamentally changed

Jan 1, 2007

[ ]

Jan 1, 1993

The next meeting of the Institute will probably be in May, 1930. At the almost unanimous vote of the membership, there will be only one meeting a year, and that will be in May or June.

Jan 1, 1929

The Role of Partnerships ?Industry history ?Companies were their own kingdoms ?MSHA and NIOSH were out of touch and focused on enforcement with no direction ?Labor and management were constantly at odds with each other

Jan 1, 2002

Jan 1, 1926

"Let us not think of our departed dead As caught and cumbered in these graves of earth; But think of death as of another birth, As a new Freedom for the wings outspread, A new adventure waiting on ahead, As a new joy of more ethereal mirth, As a new world with friends of nobler worth, Where all may taste a more immortal bread." FLOYD W. PARSONS N. CHRISTENSEN JOSEPH F. PETERS GEORGE B. PARKER ROBERT WILLIAMS B. F. DEVINNY

Jan 1, 1942

Jan 1, 1994

Albert M. Keenan, President, Thompson Creek Coal and Coke Corporation, Denver, Colorado, opened the third session of the Fifty-ninth Regular Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute at 9:30 a.m., and introduced the first speaker of the morning. Raphael J. Moses, Attorney, Colorado Water Conservation Board, Boulder, Colorado, spoke on "The Opportunity for Coal in Colorado River Basin Development." (For the printed text of Mr. Moses' paper see index.) Stephen F. Dunn, President, National Coal Association, Washington, D. C., was introduced by Mr. Keenan, and he addressed the Institute concerning "Coal and the Washington Scene."

Jan 1, 1963