Search Documents

By John Bevan

In a discussion of the personal dangers that may arise from mine gases, it is necessary to take into consideration the gases which may result from an underground fire, or a fire in or about the downcast shaft, and the methods of avoiding or minimizing the danger arising therefrom. In all cases of the combustion of carbonaceous material such as coals and timber, carbon dioxide and water vapor are formed. In cases where the air supply is limited, some carbon monoxide is produced, the quantity varying with the readiness with which the oxygen from the air can get into intimate contact with the consuming carbon; in addition to these products there may be produced large volumes of irritating fumes consisting of unconsumed vapors' distilled from the burning material. Apart from the physical distress that may be caused by the irritant action of the fumes, the chief danger to life underground arising from a fire in or about the downcast shaft or intake airways is due to the carbon monoxide which the smoke is almost certain to contain. The physiological effects of this gas have already been discussed in mining papers and ref¬erence should be made to this. The prevention of fires at the surface near to the mouth of the downcast shaft, or in the shaft itself, or at the bottom of the shaft, usually lies outside the duties of the fireboss. An outbreak of fire at such places would, however, immediately foul the air current passing into the mine, and, assuming the men were in the mine, create a situation demanding urgent attention of the fireboss. As a rule, each case of fire creates its own problems, but in all cases the guiding principle should be to restrict the poison-laden 'air to the smallest part of the mine that is practicable, by opening separation doors, or breaking down selected stoppings at the most accessible points near the seat of the fire, so that the gases and smoke may pass directly into the return and so to surface. In the case of a shaft fire it will have the effect of fouling both shafts and in the case of a fire in an intake airway, both roadways leading to the shafts. It requires the use of some judgment. Therefore, in circumstances as to whether men inside the mine should attempt to escape to the shafts or should remain in the mine, and attempt to protect themselves from the poisonous air by suitably short circuiting the air-current and retiring from the main air-ways. In order to make such restraint easier, it is very desirable that all mines should be equipped with telephone communication from all sections of the mine to the surface so that men in the mine may be informed of what is being done at the surface to secure their safety, or instructed as to what they themselves should do. In cases of fire in or about the shafts, the question of the reversal of the air-current will probably arise. Should this be decided on by the management at the surface, the fireboss in the mine may have to give some attention to the effects which this action will have on the circulation of the

Jan 1, 1922

Robert M. Magraw John W. Roshold Thomas H. O'Brien Joe Mann Walter M. Dake E. P. Lucas "How well they fell asleep Like some proud river, widening toward the sea; Calmly and grandly, silently and deep. Life joined Eternity."

Jan 1, 1948

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

T. W. BUTLER JAMES CAMERON WILLIAM MORGAN J. F. CALLBREATH FRANK C. MILLER J. T. RYAN BENEDICT SHUBART Fading away like the stars of the morning, Losing their light in the glorious sun: Thus would we pass from earth and its toiling, Only remembered by what we have done.

Jan 1, 1941

[Page Officers of the Institute 5 Minutes of Nineteenth Meeting 9 Coal Mine Explosions-William -Moorhead 11 "What Do You Mean-`Coal Dust'?"--K. L. Marshall 16 Discussion of Foregoing Papers 17 Shale Dusting-J. A. Smith 21 Discussion 25 Conditions That Make Coal Dust Explosive-T. T. Read 25 General Discussion 27 1-Mechanical Loading Review-Chas. Gottschalk 30 Mechanical Loading in Coal Mines-S. W. Farnham 34 Mechanical Loading Practice at Hanna, Wyo.-T. H. Butler 48 Guessing or Knowing! Which?-Eugene McAuliffe 52 Discussion of Loading Papers 54 Bumps or Squeezed Conditions in Coal Mines-Geo. A. Brown 59 Vertical Cutting-Thos. A. Stroup 62 Mine Fires-Thos. A. Foster 71 Membership List 74]

Jan 1, 1924

The Thirty-third Regular Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute was called to order at 11: 10 o'clock A.M., Monday, March l8th, 1935, President H. H. Bubb presiding. On motion of Gilbert Davis, duly seconded, it was voted that the reading of the minutes be dispensed with, inasmuch as they are printed in the proceedings. Owing to the absence of Mr. H. C. Marchant, who was unavoidably detained in Washington, Mr. F. W. Whiteside, Secretary Pro Tem, made the annual reports of the Secretary-Treasurer, which, on motion duly made and seconded, were received."

Jan 1, 1935