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Jan 1, 1984

By Jason Laumb

Regional Energy Production ?Energy is a globally traded commodity and is influenced by regional and national needs as well as international trends. We can greatly expand energy export from the region. ?Significant opportunities exist for increased coal-based energy production.

Jan 1, 2006

By Glen A. Knox

The writer has been asked to set forth for this Institute, the experience of the past eleven months in the mining operation conducted at Sweetwater Mine in which coal has been produced by the use of Link-Belt Conveyors on long faces. The coal in this mine has an average of six feet three inches in thickness, and lies on an average pitch of five degrees. The roof is a sandy shale of medium hardness and has been generally considered as good top in the room and pillar method of mining. When our company became interested in conveyors, the writer visited most all of the mines in the East where conveyors and other mechanical methods of mining were in use and decided that the modified method of w-hat is in use at the Norton-West Virginia mine would be the most feasible for our conditions. We in- stalled three hundred feet of conveyor as an experiment to see whether or not our roof could be handled and taken care of on long faces. This three hundred feet was installed as two separate conveyors, one as a face conveyor-100 feet in length, the other as a heading conveyor that delivered the coal into the mine car on the main entry. This face was worked directly on .the strike and down the pitch. This did not prove to be a success as the caving of the roof carried over to the working face and necessitated propping between the conveyor and the face and it was also necessary to shovel coal on the conveyor up the pitch. After working out this block, 200 feet in length, we installed these two conveyors at a place adjoining this worked out block, but on a half V shape shown on the sketch. This block of coal was sixty feet wide. This method proved to be very successful. We cut a place, moved the conveyor against the face before shooting and carried two rows of cribs between the conveyor and the cave, and caved the roof every second cut. After working out this block we were satisfied that this system was feasible with our mine. We then ordered twelve hundred feet more of the same type as the trial conveyor with the exception of a very few modifications. We then installed this fifteen hundred foot unit on the four faces shown on the sketch, with one hundred feet to each face, two hundred feet on each heading and three hundred feet on the main conveyor that delivered the coal into the pit cars. We also had a head and rear section for each of the four advancing places shown on the sketch. As the sections were taken out of the heading conveyors they were installed on the advancing conveyors, and when the faces approached the main conveyor, the main conveyor was taken out and installed in the next uphill or main conveyor place. The roof caved very well in line of the points and was broken about every twenty feet. It broke in a straight line and did not curve at each V. We encountered no trouble unless we permitted one of the points to get behind. The maximum tonnage possible to be produced on this method was estimated to be seven hundred and twenty-five tons a day, assuming that all places were cut and cleaned up in one shift, and this we did for several consecutive days. While this was a success from a cost standpoint, we felt that we could

Jan 1, 1925

Pictured on these pages are the eight RMCMI Scholarship Award Winners for the 1991-92 year followed by a brief profile. All winners were present as guests of the Institute at the June convention in Durango, Colorado to receive recognition at the Institute Awards Luncheon Monday, June 29, 1992. Each state vice president served as the host for the collegiate winner. In addition to receiving a plaque from the Scholarship Chairman, Dr. Matthew Hrebar, each winner receives $750 tuition credit for the coming academic year. As this is a continuing award, the winners from the previous year will receive another $750 for tuition credit in their senior year if they have maintained good academic standing and are recommended by their university. A mident from each of the eight RMCMI member states is selected from among Board approved institutions. Criteria for these awards to be made in the spring annually is (1) That the award be made to a sophomore student and used as tuition during the junior year. (2) That the recipient be both a U.S. citizen and a resident of the member state. (3) That the recipient have good academic standing, be pursuing a degree in a mining related field and have an expressed interest in Western coal as a possible career path. The scholarship program includes curricula other than those in the mining departments, but in the engineering disciplines, such as geology, mineral processing and metallurgy. Contributions to this worthy project are tax deductible to each individual RMCMI member or his firm. Through annual donations of $100 or more, the Patrons of the Institute fund the scholar- ship program and the various vice presidents con- tribute the travel expenses to convention for these outstanding young collegiates. Donations to this worthwhile program may be made payable to RMCMI Scholarship and mailed to the RMCMI Office, 3000 Youngfield Street, Suite 324, Lakewood, CO 80215. Profiles of the 1992 Scholarship Winners: [ ] ARIZONA WINNER BRIAN C. TRAWEEK University of Arizona - Tucson, AZ The winner from Arizona, Brian Traweek, attending the University of Arizona, is a mining engineering major from Tucson, Arizona. Brian is the treasurer of the Society of Mining Engineers Student Chapter and spends many of his weekends working at the school's San Xavier underground mine. He has had summer work experience at ASARCO's Ray Unit. [ ] COLORADO WINNER MARK ANDREW NORRIS Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO The winner from Colorado, Mark Norris, attending the Colorado School of Mines, is a mining engineering major from Eaton, Colorado. Mark is active in varsity swimming, intramural sports, and Army ROTC Pathfinders and Pershing Rifles. Mark is a co-designer of the Clear Creek County, Colorado, abandoned mine hazard rescue team plan though an introductory engineering course at Mines. [ ] MONTANA WINNER MARK J. BREN Montana College of Mineral Science & Technology, Butte, MT The winner from Montana, Mark Bren, attending Montana Tech, is a mining engineering major from Butte, Montana. Mark is an excellent student and active in the student chapter of the Society of Mining Engineers. He has worked at a gold mine in Montana, in the Earthquake Studies Office at Montana Tech, and a volunteer on the Neversweat and Washoe Railroad.

Jan 1, 1992

[Adams, Leonard E.819 Newhouse Bldg., Salt Lake City, Utah Adams, V. H422 East San Miguel. Colorado Springs, Colo. Allen, Earl W.2636 So. Gilpin St., Denver 10, Colo. Allen, Thomas State Coal Mine Inspector, State Office Bldg., Denver, Colo. Ambler, J. B P. O. Box 591, Denver, Colo. Apperson, A. B 394 Elm St., Denver 7, Colo. Arnold, G. O Phelps-Dodge Co., Dawson, New Mexico Audin, Abel Somerset, Colorado Audis, Clement, Jr. Paonia, Colorado]

Jan 1, 1948

[Adams, Leonard E .................... 8 19 Newhouse Bldg., Salt Lake City, Utah Adams, V. H ............................. 422 E. San Miguel, Colorado Springs, Colo: Allen, Earl W ........................... 2636 S. Gilpin St., Denver 10, Colo. Allen, Thomas ......................... State Coal Mine Inspector, State Office Bldg., Denver, Colo. Ambler, J. B .............................. P. 0. Box 591, Denver, Colo. Andrew, William . Boulder Valley Coal Co., Louisville, Colo. Apperson, A. B. .................... Brown Hotel, Denver, Colo. Arnold, G. O. ........................ Dawson, New Mexico Audin, Abel .......................... Somerset, Colo. Audin, Clement, Jr ................... Paonia, Colo.]

Jan 1, 1947

The 66th Regular Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute convened in the Opticon Theatre, Snowmass-at-Aspen, Colorado, and was in session at 10:00 a.m. The meeting was called to order by Past President, Stanley C. Shubart, Secretary-Treasurer, Schloss & Shubart, Inc., Denver, Colorado. Mr. Shubart welcomed the guests and was pleased at the large attendance, in view of the fact, that the site for the convention had to be changed at the last minute from the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park to Snowmass-at-Aspen. He stated that Joe Ward, our General Chairman, could not be present due to the serious illness of his wife, Thelma. He called on Bob Wilson, Chairman of the Registration and Hotel Committee, to give his report on applicants for membership since the last meeting. Mr. Wilson stated that there were 89 applicants and 242 registrations, an all-time record. A list of new members follows.

Jan 1, 1970

D. HARRINGTON: Owing to lack of funds, the United States Bureau of Mines have made no experiments in the Bruceton mines in the use of mudite. MR. McAULIFFE: I doubt that mudite cam be delivered at fifty cents a ton and that a mile of heading can be treated with mudite for ten dollars. You could not dig a ton of sand out of a sand hank for that money. L. C. CLARE: The tram road leading to Wattis mine crosses a shale bed and it is easy to screen the shale through a %-inch sieve and load it into a mine car. W. J. REID: A slow trip passing through a mudited entry will dislodge practically no dust, a rapid trip will make air disturbance enough to coat the cars with fine dust. MR. PRYDE: We have used mudite on stoppings around a fire in Reliance and for two months thought they were getting good results, but the fire was found to be drawing air and to be spreading. This mudite was smeared over the stoppings with a trowel. After this apparently failed we used dry adobe.

Jan 1, 1925

Jan 1, 1961

By T. C. Harvey

Ladies and Gentlemen: At the request of Mr. J. M. Jennings, chairman of the General Committee on arrangements during the convention of the Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute here, I have endeavored to prepare a brief description of the Columbia Steel Corporation's tipple at Columbia, Utah, and its operations, but [ ] from the fact that you have already listened to, and have been interested I'm sure, in the description given by Mr. Jennings and Mr. Murphy, on tipple construction and operations, I am taking the liberty, with your permission, to embody in my paper a description of our haulage and ventilation systems at Columbia, which I hope will be, in a measure, also interesting to you. As many of you know, we are mining on a Multiple Panel System, which while comparatively new in Carbon County, is being used successfully in various mining districts of the United States. Mine The Columbia mine is situated about four miles south of Sunnyside, Utah, at an elevation of 6,760 feet at the portal or main entrance of mine. [ ] From this portal, the main air intake or solid rock tunnel, about 1,600 feet long, runs into the mountain in an easterly direction to an intersection of the coal vein on a grade of 0.5 of one per cent in favor of the loads. There this main entry divides and forms two main entries. These are run in parallel with 100-foot chain pillars between them and protected with 150-foot barrier pillars on each side, and run into the coal in a southerly direction on a 0.5 of one per cent grade in favor of the loads for a dis-

Jan 1, 1925

will be held at COSMOPOLITAN HOTEL DENVER COLORADO June 3,4,5, 1931

Jan 1, 1930

By W. T. Ferguson

Mr. Chairman, Members of the Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute: It seems particularly appropriate that we come at this time to make a report on a phase of mechanical, mining of coal which had its birth in this region and was cradled and nurtured here until it assumed a lusty manhood that has made its presence felt in every coal field in this country and in foreign fields as well. More than twenty years ago shaker conveyors were introduced into the states covered by your Institute, and immediately, forward looking men saw that here were possibilities for the operator's dream of a continuous flow of coal from face to tipple, if this latest device could be made self-loading. The skill and ingenuity of men in the Rock Springs district quickly brought this about and in but a few short years .more coal was being loaded by Duckbills in this field than by any other means. Not content with this outstanding success, still other men dreamed of having this same Duckbill moved across the face under its own power, and so this same district produced the first power swing Duckbill.

Jan 1, 1947

President Robert E. Murray opened the meeting at 9:30 a.m. He called on the Auditing Committee to give its report. Jack Leech read the report and asked that it be approved. A motion was made, seconded and carried. The Resolutions Committee was asked to present its report. Mr. J. F. Ratchye submitted the following: (1) RESOLVED. Whereas, in the year since the last convention of The Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute, the Institute and the Coal Mining industry have suffered the loss through death of the services of: James L. Elder William T. Gibbs Julian E. Tobey John H. Plehn NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that there be spread upon the minutes of The Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute recognition of the passing of these members, who have so greatly contributed to the advancement of the industry, both nationally and in the Rocky Mountain area, and that a copy of this resolution be sent to the next of kin as evidence of the sincere regard and sympathy of the members of the Institute. (2) RESOLVED: that in recognition of faithful service to the coal industry generally, and to this Institute, Life Membership in The Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute be hereby con¬ferred upon the following members:

Jan 1, 1979

By Wendy Hutchinson

Jan 1, 2007

Jan 1, 1966

Bowdil Co. Bucyrus-Erie Co. Coal Age Coal Mining Cobre Tire Dresser Construction FMC Corp. T. J. Gundlach Machine Co. Ingersoll-Rand Joy Mfg. Co. K&P Sales Engineers, Inc. Kennametal Lively Mfg. Co. Long Airdox Co. MSA McLanahan Corp. National Mine Service Co. Page Engineering Co. Plateau Supply, Inc. Pyramid Parts Scandura, Inc. TIC Utah International Utah Power & Light Co. Western Energy Co.

Jan 1, 1986

The Bowdil Company Bucyrus-Erie Company Card Corporation The Cincinnati Mine Machinery Co. Coal Age Coal Mining Cobre Tire Cummins Power, Inc. FMC Corporation - MHE Division T. J. Gundlach Machine Division/Rexnord Inc. Imperial Oil and Grease Company Ingersoll-Rand Jeffrey Mining Machinery Division, Dresser Industries Inc. Joy Manufacturing Company K&P Sales Engineers, Inc. Kennametal, Inc. Lively Manufacturing & Equipment Co. Long-Airdox Co. MS A McLanahan Corporation National Mine Service Company Distributor Products Division Page Engineering Plateau Supply, Inc. Plymouth Rubber Company, Inc. Pyramid Parts Div./American Alloy TIC - The Industrial Company Tricon Metals & Services, Inc. Uniroyal, Inc. Utah International Inc.

Jan 1, 1985

The 81 st Regular Meeting and convention was called to order by the President, Charles W. Margolf at 9:00 a.m. Monday, July l, 1985 in the Silverton Room of Tamarron, a resort hotel near Durango, Colorado. President Margolf welcomed the members and others in attendance to the convention and noted his theme of "Make It Happen!" He introduced those present of the 1985-86 Board of Directors and Officers who were elected by the Board of Directors at their Annual Meeting June 29. They were: Arthur K. Neill, President; Bernard Bernstrom, President-Elect; Loren V. Linville, Convention Liaison Officer; Vice Presidents Douglas J. Hammer of Colorado, C. Joe Presley of Montana, Alva L. Smith of New Mexico, Fred Wertz of North Dakota, Rex Berry of Utah and Thomas J. Lien of Wyoming; and Doris G. Finnie, Executive Secretary & Treasurer. He also introduced Ira. E. McKeever who was elected to serve as chairman of the Advisory Board by that group. Margolf mentioned that one three-year term as a Director would be voted upon at the annual business meeting which would be held Tuesday, July 2 at 1:30 p.m. in the Windom Peak Room and introduced James "Doug" Ingram, the nominee of the Nominating Committee. A convention update was made by the Conven-

Jan 1, 1985

CHAIR: I see a great many safety men in the audience and I hope you will all take part in using up the time that we have left. The point brought up by all was the necessity of education. It is very hard to know just how this is going to be done. We get very little encouragement to do this. At a recent meeting at Rock Springs, 100 in attendance, and most of them mine officials. Another condition which contributes to accidents is the labor turnover in many of our States. With many companies I am told from actual statistics the labor turnover is 125 per cent. Each field has different mining conditions so that men coming from one field are not always familiar with the mine conditions in the field they come to. These are conditions which have to be overcome. WM. LITTLEJOHN: Mr. Harrington brought up the subject of sprinkling. I will try to tell what we are doing at the Utah Fuel Company camps. Our dust at Castle Gate is the most inflammable gas that has yet been tested at the Pittsburgh station of the Bureau of Mines, so it is up to us to use every precaution to keep it down. I will try to tell what we are doing regarding sprinkling from tanks. We now have in operation two tanks in our locomotive roads, one in Castle Gate, one in Sunnyside. These tanks are something like 500-gallon tanks with pump on one end of truck which gets its power from the power wire and has a half circle perforated pipe on the other end of tank. This is simply hooked on to the locomotive. When the pump is started up it throws a fine spray of water all around which wets the roof, the sides and floor. We found this very successful from an economical as well as a working standpoint. A roadway that we probably would have had to pay a man at least two shifts for, covering the full distance, with the ordinary hose and spray, we can do in half a day and do it more thoroughly. We are also figuring on at the present time using the same system on rope haulage ways, which of course will have to be run by a reel from the feed lines, handling say four hundred feet each way before reconnecting. We haven't got it finished, but are working on it at the present time. MR. COLBURN: I would like to say a few words -about this question of education. Education was mentioned by all three sections of the Safety Committee. Education regarding safety might be divided into two branches. One branch is for the official at the mine to keep him acquainted with the latest developments in safety equipment and safety methods. The other part of education is for the workmen. The United States Bureau of Mines is co-operating in both directions. Safety Clubs are organized around the Bureau of Mines First Aid Training, but it is the idea to expand those clubs and teach the miner the advantage of such-things as the closed safety lamp, and also the regulations that have been made for his safety. In Illinois we can't operate with the closed lamp, because the miners in that section of the country are not educated to the advantages of the safety lamp. Another form of education has been taken up by the National Safety Council, consisting of voluntary organizations similar to the Institute, to which all mining men are invited to attend. Such conferences nave been held in the Lake Superior district, in Butte, and in Globe, Arizona, this year. These are to be extended throughout the coal mining regions. CHAIRMAN PRYDE: The Union Pacific Coal Company has also built two tank cars of 600 gallons capacity each. The tanks are connected with hose, so that water can flow from one tank to the other. A centrifugal pump is mounted on a truck, and connected to the front tank. This pump takes its power from the trolley wire. The discharge from the pump is perforated, so that it sprays the floor and sides of the entries. We expect to use this water train on main haulage ways where we have no sprinkling line.

Jan 1, 1923

of our good friends and fellow members: Patrick J. Quealy J. C. Roberts Gilbert Morton Sidney W. Farnham who left the world better for their having lived in it

Jan 1, 1930