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By H. F. Nash

Coal is the basic necessity of our present-day civilization, and those engaged in the industry, whether miner, day-man, pit boss, tipple boss, superintendent, salesman or operator, have a direct responsibility to the public at large. Our country is blessed with a great supply of Bituminous coal, upon which it must largely depend for its industrial prosperity. Anthracite coal, in its relation to our economic situation, is a small factor, as its ratio of production to Bituminous coal is only about one-sixth. However, within the last ten years, electricity and oil have largely displaced the use of coal in industry, so that the use of Bituminous coal is decreasing, relatively, and the potential production of Bituminous coal has largely increased since the war. High wage scales and high freight rates make the delivered price of coal to the consumer so out of proportion to the cost of electricity and oil -and strikes make the supply of coal so uncertain-that industry is rapidly turning to electricity and oil. The energy in a ton of coal can be transported, by electric current, a distance of 250 miles for 78% of what it costs to ship the coal in bulk, by rail, in the East-and, for about 60% of what it costs in our section of the country. The use of fuel oil, distillate and gasoline, in industry, has increased by leaps and bounds. Especially was this noticeable during the strike this year, as the large packing plants in Kansas City, Omaha and Sioux City (that formerly used nothing but coal) are now practically all using oil. This also supplies to other industrial plants throughout our territory in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Many railroads are using oil, as are also the smelters, cement plants, etc., etc. Ten years ago, 100% of the threshing in the state of Kansas was done with coal-today not over 25% of it is done through that means-and so it goes all along the line. The use of our coal is being yearly more restricted in industry. In the case of domestic consumption, the circle is also ever decreasing.' In small towns and on farms, kerosene, gasoline and wood are largely utilized for cooking. For the past four years, along any country road, it is a common occurrence to hear a buzz-saw cutting old fence posts or timbers taken from creek bottoms. Many thousands of tons of coal are displaced each year through the use of corn and cobs. In larger towns, gas plants have been installed, and many housewives use gas-in communities contiguous to natural gas, that is used for industrial and domestic purposes. The time has gone when industrial and domestic consumers or dealers are satisfied to buy anything that is black-competition among the coal-producing states is keen, and will become more so. Eastern and southern fields are turning out splendidly prepared coals of high quality, and with their lower freight rates to competitive territory, will entirely nullify the use. of our Western coal unless-

Jan 1, 1922

By Steve Griles

Mr. Griles did not make his speech available for reprint. Looking Down the Road: The Environmental Side of the 1990s and Beyond Environmental Social Responsibility Love Canal, Buffalo Creek, Widow Combs, Bohpal and Three Mile Island are familiar names to all of us-names which evoke memories of environmental tragedies. These memories, as well as memories of other environmental disasters, lead us to pose this question: What is the nature of the environmental social contact between industry and society? The manner in which one answers this question will. in large measure, answer the question of where one thinks environmental issues will go, or should go, in the 1990s and beyond. The history of the evolution of the environmental movement will be helpful in defining and under- standing just what society's environmental responsibility is and, perhaps, what it will be. To Define the Future Start With the Past The common law, which most of the United States adopted from the English system of jurisprudence, traditionally considered pollution control and other environmental issues to be a matter of determining the relative rights of private property owners and of individuals. Legal and equitable theories, such as nuisance, negligence, trespass and the law of riparian rights, were utilized to allocate responsibilities between parties under the common law. The discharge of pollutants into streams and into the air was by and large considered acceptable, at least up to the point that another's "reasonable" use of the same air or waterway was significantly impeded. Further, the judicial decisions interpreting the applicability of the common law to the protection of the environment generally reflected the social and economic pressures of the age. During the Industrial Revolution, the decisions and policies had a marked tendency to favor industrial development. Jobs and industrial growth are deemed as important, and in some cases more important, than the protection of people and property. Additionally, the idea of a social responsibility, beyond that owed to a competing land or water user, was nearly alien to the early common law.' One could even go so far as to say that, had there been a social environmental contract under early common law (which, of course, there was not); but if there were, it would have been to promote actions which facilitated industrial development, even at the expense of the environment. Post-World War LI industrial expansion brought with it a growing awareness of limits on the environment's ability to absorb increasing levels of pollution. Thus evolved an era of social and political adjustment, as society began to shift away from supporting big business and industrial development and toward supporting domestic government programs and limits on industry. States gradually stepped in with efforts to address environmental issues. The Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law and the West Virginia Surface Mining Act of 1939, while lax in comparison to today's standards, nevertheless marked definitive efforts toward altering the balance between industrial development and environmental protection Pollution control continued to be viewed as a state responsibility through the 1950s, until Congress began, for the first time, to allocate funds for federal research on air and water pollution and to implement

Jan 1, 1988

By C. A. Allen

In presenting a summary of the uses of fine and pulverized coal the writer has borne in mind that we are not trying to determine what a combustion engineer should know but we are only trying to find out in what ways the consumption of slack can be stimulated. First discussing the use of powdered coal it can be stated that it has passed the first experimental stage but is still capable of much development and improvement. It has already found successful application in stationary and locomotive boilers, cement kilns, calcining furnaces, reverberatory smelting furnaces and many other types of furnaces, such as open hearth furnaces and annealing furnaces. For stationary boilers it seems to have been thoroughly demonstrated that powdered coal is more efficient than stoker installations. Over-all efficiences of boiler and furnace in stoker installations of the best type run from 70 to 76 per cent; whereas the efficiency of powdered coal installations averages slightly over 80 per cent. However, due to the increased cost of pulverized coal, the increased efficiency of these installations over stokers, from a money stand-point, will not be more than 1 or 2 per cent. The fusing of the ash in pulverized coal installations has given some trouble but apparently is easily overcome, on the other hand the fine ash, which is carried along with the draft, causes trouble both in the boiler and by settling on surrounding buildings or ground. Offsetting the disadvantages the great advantages of pulverized coal for stationary boilers seem to be: First-the ease with which a change in the load on the boiler can be taken care of. Second-when a boiler is cut out for a short period the "stand-by" losses are much less and, Third-a much poorer grade of fuel can be used. In many cases where pulverized coal has been used it has replaced slack coal which is of little advantage to the coal operator. However,, in other places it has replaced gas or oil and this is where the coal man is interested. Pulverized coal has the same advantages as the liquid or gas fuel but the question as to which is preferable depends on their relative cost at the point of use. In small stationary boilers where stokers are not used, very frequently the larger sizes of coal are, and it would be an advantage to the coal industry for them to be converted so as to burn pulverized coal, but so far there are only records of a few of such small installations having been a success and there is apparently room for a large amount of experimentation. In furnaces, such as smelting and assaying furnaces, annealing furnaces, etc., slack coal is not used and where pulverized coal has been installed it nearly always replaces fuel oil or gas. Just how much increased consumtion of coal can be made by pulverizing it for use in furnaces of this type can not be determined but it seems worthy of investigation. For locomotive boilers pulverized coal has found some application up to date but where it was being used in the United States it was stopped when we entered the war. In Brazil, however, the Central Railway has been using pulverized coal for locomotives with excellent results. If it could be possible to apply it to locomotive use where fuel oil is now used, or the larger sizes of coal, it would certainly make a big difference in the slack situation. Now as to the uses of slack coal without pulverizing. The writer's investigations lead him to believe that the greatest opportunities in this direction are in the line of increasing its use by apartment houses and small home owners. In fact in looking into the subject I found that a number of men in Salt Lake City are using run of mine coal in the usual type of house furnaces, some of them by separating the fines and wetting them down before feeding to the furnace claim they get no loss whatever through the grate. However, for best results with fine coal different types of furnaces must be installed and for apartment houses it would seem necessary to have either a small automatic stoker or else spray the fine coal in with an air blast from

Jan 1, 1922

CHAIRMAN ALLEN: Gentlemen, I have been asked to call this meeting to order by Mr. Marchant, and am acting here temporarily in the absence of Mr. Nyman, who is unable to be with us. Mr. Nyman sends the following telegram: "Will not be able to be present at the Institute meeting. Serious illness of my father has made it necessary for me to remain in Salt Lake Please arrange substitute. Very sorry." In addition to having to pinch-hit for Mr. Marchant and President Nyman, I am here representing the Governor of the State of Colorado also who is unable to be here. The Governor of Colorado is a very busy man. His appointments are made months ahead. We only got word of the possibility of his addressing this meeting yesterday morning, and I went over to the Governor's office this morning to see if there was any possibility of getting him here, but he had been booked up for two months ahead of this time to appear at the convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Trinidad, Colorado, where he is today, and which makes it impossible for him to attend this meeting. I know that he would have liked to have been here with you, as there is not any doubt but what the Governor of Colorado has the interests of the mining industry at heart. This was manifested last week when he called a meeting of representative men of the different lines of industry so that we could arrive at some results and some arrangements to see if it was possible to get at the bottom of the condition causing our bad times, and the appointment of commit- tee groups to find out what these problems were and to see if they could get any possible solution to them. The meeting was adjourned with the suggestion that those who were present would among themselves select such committees to investigate the conditions of the coal mining industry, and offer suggestions for betterment.

Jan 1, 1938

By John D. Janak

Thank you for inviting me to come here and be your keynote speaker. Texas also thanks you for being included as part of the Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute. We'll kind of think of Texas as Baja Rocky Mountains. I've always wondered why coal miners were the only people to go to the mountains in the summer time-and now I know why. The program committee should be given a big hand for selecting this RESORT. And the golf course is stimulating to say the least. This is a very beautiful location. I was asked to talk about CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES and INNOVATIONS as they affect the coal industry. I am going to do that from a Texas perspective. But first, since Texas is the newest state to belong to the Institute, I would like to give you a little background on how our coal industry got started and where we are at today. The vast majority of our coal is called lignite-it has a little lower heating value than most other coals and ranks somewhere between buffalo chips and sub- bituminous. Lignite is found In three geological formations running Northeast to Southwest through South and East Texas. In-place reserves lying within 200 ft. of the surface total 14 billion tons. This slide shows the lignite formations with cur- rent mine operations colored in RED. Mines that are planned to be built in the next 10 years are shown in BLUE. Lignite was used mostly by settlers in Texas during the 1800s. It was used as a fuel to fire locomotives during the Civil War. Between 1900-1930, about 100 mines, mostly underground, were operating in Texas producing lignite for home heating and as a boiler fuel. Here are some slides showing underground access, [lie tipple used to process the lignite, and the underground workings. This is the "BIG LUMP COAL COMPANY" as shown here. The typical underground mine was 100-150 ft. deep and each miner produced 7-10 tons per day-all by hand. In 1926, the Texas Power & Light Company built the Trinidad Power Plant and began using lignite as a boiler fuel. The lignite was mined by the McAlester Fuel Company at the nearby Malakoff Mine. Here are some slides showing a stripping shovel at Malakoff uncovering lignite. The lignite was loaded into railcars in the pit for transport to the power plant. This is a picture of the Trinidad Plant which had two 20 MW units and one 32 MW unit. At the time, Trinidad was the largest power plant in the United States using lignite exclusively as a fuel. Trinidad operated until 1942 when it was converted to natural gas that was sold to the plant for 3 ½ ¢ per MMBT'U. The mine closed after having produced 7 million tons. Lignite was mostly forgotten about until 1953 when Alcoa started an aluminum smelter. Our Company formed a subsidiary called Industrial Generating Company to operate the power plant that furnished electricity to the smelter. We also operated the nearby Sandow Mine that supplied lignite as a fuel to the power plant

Jan 1, 1989

A great many questions were asked Mr. Bright, and Mr. Bright's opinion was given on a number of subjects. He spoke at length on spring suspension of locomotives, bringing out the necessity for better spring suspension due to heavier weights and higher speeds now developed. The subject of dynamic braking was brought up, and the opinion of the engineers present was that dynamic braking was not a desirable feature except where heavy, long, adverse grade is encountered. Mr. Goddard and Mr. Bright had a spirited discussion regarding ball bearings, bringing out the opinion of the meeting that ball bearings in motors are preferable to sleeve bearings, and the few failures so far encountered are due to improper application or insufficient size of bearing. Mr. Shubart brought up the question of locomotive speed, mentioning some high speed work on main haulage, also an interesting experiment in a large Eastern mine where very slow speed, 3 1/2 miles per hour, gathering locomotives were substituted for the high speed gathering locomotives with an increase in cars gathered and a material decrease in derailment and accident. Mr. Bright mentioned the improvement in gathering reels, and Mr. Shubart mentioned the safety in the use of the concentric cable in direct current, using the outer wire as the ground wire, so that in case of accident to the cable, the ground wire acted as a protector to the live wire, materially decreasing the danger of sparking. Mr. H. I. Smith of the Bureau of Mines brought up the question of explosion proof construction, and Mr.. Bright and. Mr. Shubart explained the construction adopted by two of the larger manufacturers. Experiment has shown that the force of explosion in motors due to gas does not exceed 150 pounds per square inch. All forms of screen or baffles have proven an actual source of danger, due to the collection of dust, usually soaked in oil, forming an active means of propagating flame, together with the fact that all these appendages are frequently left off when the motors are repaired. Modern construction eliminates all openings, screens, devices for stopping or extinguishing flame. The motor is made entirely enclosed, practically air tight, all joints are ground and all openings necessary for access and attention are closed by bolted plates. The case is made stout enough to withstand any interior explosions, and ample ribbing is provided for heat dissipation. Mr. Bright was asked regarding the use of contactor control. He replied that his company is now recommending contactor controls for series and parallel starting on all locomotives of 13 tons and over, and particularly on the tandem units that are now becoming popular in coal mining work. The question of dynamic braking and reversing was brought up and Mr. Bright explained that this made a very complicated contactor installation but they had

Jan 1, 1922

Good Morning. Thank you for your kind welcome, Lyle and thank you for having me here today. I spoke at the fall meeting of the Utah state RMCMI in Price and it's nice to be invited back. I can see by the program that you have two great days of interesting and informative meetings, including the mine rescue team exhibition and the safety recognition award presentations. As you all know, I am here standing in for Dave Lauriski, who is in China with Secretary of Labor Chao. As you also know, Utah is near and dear to his heart - and so is the Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute. I want to assure you Dave would be here if it were at all possible. But it is my good fortune that I could come in his place. We have made great progress as an Agency thanks to the hard work and dedication of MSHA's employees. But we are always looking for new ways to solve problems and continue to send more miners home safe and healthy every day. And we have been working on some great ways to do that, including thinking strategically. During my presentation today I'm going to talk about where the Agency is in terms of our transformation to the MSHA of the 21st century, a little bit about how we got to be where we are, and then describe our roadmap to the future state. And I'm going to focus on the significance of our plan and the planning process to demonstrate the implication for the mining industry. Former President Dwight Eisenhower once said, "In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable." Now I do like Ike, but I would have to take exception to the first part of the sentence. I have found plans and the planning process to be indispensable - the plan to give me a roadmap to my goal, and the process to focus me on the steps I must take to get there. We all know that having a strategic plan makes the difference between success and failure. We've seen it time and time again, in business, in our lives - and in government: Having a strategic plan is crucial to success. And the process of making the strategic plan is crucial to its success. Putting together a workable strategic plan - a good roadmap - that will successfully lead you to your goals requires a thorough, careful process that takes into account each factor that you may encounter along your way to success, as well as those with whom you will travel. In order to talk about our current plan I want to take you back to three years ago, when Dave Lauriski went to Washington to lead MSHA. He knew that change was in the air. Dave was confirmed as Assistant Secretary with 30-plus years experience in the coal mining industry, and more than 20 years of experience in dealing with

Jan 1, 2004

Profiled here are the eight RMCMI 2000 Scholarship Award winners. Six of the eight attended the 96'' Regular Meeting and convention at the Sheraton Tamarron Resort in Durango, Colorado in late Tune. Each spoke during the Scholarship Awards Monday luncheon and shared their goals with attendees. In addition to receiving a 52,000 tuition credit, thanks to the Patrons of the Institute annual funding of scholarships, each received recognition at the luncheon with a brass plaque signifying this honor. The winners arc guests of the Institute Sunday through Tuesday noon and have an outstanding opportunity to meet many in the coat industry who could be potential employers. The state vice presidents host the winners and pay for their travel and hotel expenses. This is a continuing scholarship and may be renewed for tuition credit again in the senior year it the winner is a full time student and is recommended by the dean of the college or university. A resident from each of the eight member RMCMI states is selected by the Scholarship committee from Board approved institutions. Criteria for these annual awards is that the recipient (1) is a full time sophomore student who will use the tuition credit the junior year. (2) Be both a U. S. citizen and a legal resident of the member state. (3) Maintain 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. Contributions to this worthwhile project are tax deductible to each individual RMCMI member or his company. Through donations of $100 or more to the Patrons of the Institute, each Patron receives a plaque and a year bar for each additional year contributions arc made. There may be directed to RMCMI Patrons, 3000 Youngfield Street, #324, Lakewood, CO 50215. [ ]ARIZONA WINNER David L. Vatterrodt University of Arizona The son of Charlene and Larry Vatterrodt, David graduated from Marana High School, Tucson, Arizona where he attained a 3.6 GPA. In his second year at the University of Arizona he has a 3.4 GPA and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering. He is a member of SME and enjoys playing tennis and riding his motorcycle. He is the recipient of a $1,000 Tradition of Excellence scholarship. David volunteers every Saturday morning during the academic year at the U of A. San Xavier Mining Laboratory. His tasks there include work area inspections, jack-leg drilling, scaling, roof bolting, operating an LHD and overshot mocker, track laying and other general maintenance. COLORADO WINNER [ ]Jonathan B. Casten Colorado School of Mine. Graduating with high honors and a 3.99 GPA from Windsor High School, Colorado, Jon is well prepared for the rigors of academia. In high school he was on the Dean's list, Salutorian of the Senior Class, member of National Honor Society, Colorado Boys State delegate and lettered in varsity golf.At Mines, Jon belongs to SME and Work Study and maintains a 3.75 GPA. He enjoys golf, hiking and weight lifting. His parents are Katherine and Fred Casten of indsor. Jon has chosen Mining Engineering as a career as he plans to improve the nation's efficiency of extracting natural resources.

Jan 1, 2000

JUNE 11-MORNING SESSION The meeting was called to order Wednesday morning, June 11, 1913,,at 10 o'clock, by the President, E. H. Weitzel. Addresses of welcome were given to the convention by Governor Spry, Mayor Park, and Rev. P. A: Simpkins; 'the several addresses being interspersed by music. The session adjourned at 11 :50 a. m., in order to attend the organ recital at the Tabeknacle at:'12 o'clock. JUNE 11-AFTERNOON SESSION The meeting. Gas called -to order at 2 o'clock, with President E. H. Weitzel in- the .chair. The minutes of, the organization meeting and that of the Executive Board, the 1atier:of which was held April 15, 1913, in Denver, were read and both' approved. A letter from A. 3. Reef, of Denver, containing proposed amendments to the Constitution and By.-Laws, was read, and, upon motion,, was referred to the Executive Board, with .instructions to report upon the matter at the next, regular meeting. The proposed amendments follow: Article I1 (regarding who may become members and how) to be amended to read as follows: "Membership in this Institute shall be of three classes-corporate, individual, and honorary. Any company, firm, or individual operator actually engaged in the mining of coal within the territory of this Institute may become a corporate member on application, and by consent of a majority of the members present at any stated meeting. Any person, who is directly engaged or interested: in some branch of coal-mining may become an individual member upon application, and by consent of a majority of the members present at any stated meeting. Honorary members may be elected at the discretion of the Institute."

Jan 1, 1913

By P. F. Patterson

It is a well established fact that 60 per cent of all accidents in coal mines occur from falls of roof and coal at or in the proximity of the working face. Notwithstanding that this is well known, and has been frequently discussed by mining men, this seems to be the irreducible minimum. It is even said by those in a position to know that the percentage stated is increasing. With this, information before us it would seem that not enough attention is being given to close supervision at the working face, and until this is done we may expect to continue experiencing an increase in the accidents in this area. No workman generally feels that it is more important to finish loading a car of coal than to set a timber for protection, and many accidents happen from this source, not from a lack of knowledge of the dangerous conditions existing, but negligence in taking remedies necessary to remove the danger. It is true that nearly all state laws require the mine foreman or his assistant to visit each working face every day, but with the constantly changing conditions on account of the advance of the working faces, these daily visits may be entirely inadequate to discover possible dangers and prevent accidents. The obvious remedy then is closer and more systematic inspection and supervision of the working faces. Many accidents are caused in mines on account of not enough clearance between the rib and track or between timber and track. On all main haulage ways. there should be a space of at least 30 inches between the rib and track, or timber and track, and on all rooms not less than two feet should be left between the track and upright timbers.. A great deal has been said and written with regard to systematic timbering. We doubt very much the feasibility of adopting any standard of timbering that would be suitable for all roof conditions, and any such system in our opinion would not tend to cause a decrease in the number of accidents. The proper place to put up a prop, regardless of whether it conforms to any established system, is under a piece of loose roof. No habit is becoming more prevalent among miners and other mine workers than wearing gloves, principally flimsy canvas gloves, which afford no protection to the wearers and are the direct cause of many hand injuries. If gloves must be worn, and no doubt they will be as the habit has become well established, then they should be made from some heavy material and should fit the hands fairly snug.

Jan 1, 1923

CHAIRMAN EMRICK: We have a very interesting program this morning, of a mechanical nature, and I am sure you will all be very much interested in it. At the conclusion of each paper there will be time given for discussion, and we will be glad to have all of you enter into the discussion. Before we start the program, I want to ask the men who have been appointed chairmen of committees to come and get these folios, which contain papers concerning their particular committees. The Nominations Committee, of which David Brown is chairman, has a folio here. It has been customary every year to have a photograph of those in attendance taken, and I presume it is the will of those in attendance this morning to have their pictures taken. We plan to do that about a quarter of twelve, approximately, this morning in the room instead of going outside as we have heretofore. Frank Miller has an interesting an¬nouncement to make. Frank, if you will just take about five minutes to tell your story.

Jan 1, 1934

By N/A N

Jan 1, 1981

President W. K. Dennison, Jr., called the final session of the Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute to order, and introduced H. A. Cornell, Portland Cement Association, Ft. Collins, Colorado. Mr. Cornell explained that the Portland Cement Association was not a sales organization, but is supported by the major manufacturers of portland cement. The research laboratories of the association are constantly endeavoring to improve the quality of cement, as well as promote new markets, new uses, and new ideas. The association works with engineers, contractors and universities, making available to them the results of their research. Mr. Cornell stated that numerous booklets and bulletins were available on request for any phase of construction with concrete. Mr. Cornell presented a film, "How to Make Quality Concrete," to the members of the Institute. D. W. Lyke, General Electric Apparatus Service Shop, Denver, Colorado, was introduced by President Dennison, who presented a film, "A-Hunting He Would Go." Following the film, Mr. Lyke stated that his firm was not confined to electrical equipment, but to all types of equipment, and asked the members to feel free to call for assistance at any time. These two films concluded the Manufacturer's Hour, and President Dennison opened the final business meeting of the session. Robert F. Bowie, of the Auditing Committee, read the Treasurer's Report, and complimented Mr. Whiteside on the commendable state in which the books were found. The Treasurer's Report is as follows:

Jan 1, 1960

By James F. Howe

Modern civilization is centered around a small group of essential occupations, the three principal ones which are agriculture, mining and manufacturing. Agriculture might be called the most important of the three, as it has to do directly with the supply of food for the human race. Mining, however, is certainly next in importance, as it furnishes the supply of fuel and many of the raw materials used in manufacturing. Without mining, modern machinery and many industrial operations would be impossible. Mining takes advantage of the, natural resources in fuel and minerals that lie underneath the surface of mother earth, and while at times some of these metals are hard to find and mines come and go, mining must continue to increase. Mining is no longer a haphazard proposition but one calling for careful study and complete plans of operation for years to come. The shafts, power houses, rock dump crusher, concentrator, and other machinery must be located advantageously in order to enable owners to make a profit. Many tons of rock or mineral must be mined frequently to get one ton of concentrated metallic ore or metal itself. Economy in mining is just as essential as it is in manufacturing. The mining engineer of today is called upon to utilize every branch of engineering, and not only, is a wide: range of knowledge required, but ingenuity to meet the unusual conditions which are constantly arising from week to week. On account of the wide variety of information required by the mining engineer, some things with which he is in almost daily contact may be passed over with only a small amount of attention, provided everything is going well, in order that time and attention may be focused on what might be termed the more important features of mining operations. Because competition has become keener than ever, owing to overproduction at times of certain minerals, it becomes a matter of first, importance to understand as far as possible the factors which enter into the cost of production of any mineral which may be mined. In such times of overproduction, the high cost mine is forced to close down while the low cost mine may, if desired, be kept running constantly. In keeping a cost record, wire rope on account of its high first cost 19 coming into the lime light, and a comparison of records of one mine with another is now frequently made in order to see whether the rope service is satisfactory or not. Every rope maker, on the other hand, is interested in seeing that the rope which he produces gives the maximum possible return for the money invested. Modern mining owes much of its success to the use of wire rope for hoisting materials from beneath the surface of the ground. Deep mining would be impossible without the use of wire rope as a means of hoisting. A study, therefore, of rope problems in mining work and a discussion of the points which are beneficial to maximum life will enable the mining engineer, manager, or superintendent to keep his costs down to the minimum while at the same time he provides a suitable and sufficient safety factor for operations at all times. Mining might be defined as the extraction of coal, metallic ores, or minerals from below the surface of the ground. This definition does not cover what is known as, open pit operations or quarrying but covers the

Jan 1, 1922

Jan 1, 1931

By Melvin D. Nelson

Executive Summary The future of coal as an important energy source in the 21st century will depend heavily on whether or not our industry is recognized for its performance. We have had a major role in powering our nation through the 20th century ... but many today do not understand that role nor do they know that 56% of our nation's electricity today comes from coal. Corporate communications, marketing, and public relations must be a high priority of our industry if we are to survive in the society of the 21st century as a viable energy option for powering our nation. The time to start is now. The place to start is locally. The way to strengthen local and regional efforts is to network on a regional and national level with associations who have the ability and the will to develop effective communications strategies. Introduction The Minnkota Power Systems is a regional association of 26 electrical suppliers. Serving more than 96,000 customers in a 34,500 square mile service area in Minnesota and North Dakota, the association includes 12 municipal utilities, 12 distribution cooperatives, a municipal power agency, and a generation and transmission cooperative. The Minnkota Power Systems generating capacity totals 613 megawatts, and 83% of it is fired by lignite coal. On an annual basis, 80% of our total energy is derived from coal. We are proud of our long association with the coal industry. Our pride shows in the very visible role that coal plays in our marketing and public relations efforts. In 1993, the Minnkota Power Systems had one of the lowest wholesale rates in the country, at 3.1 cents per kWh. Average residential rates were 5.8 cents per kWh. Minnkota Power Cooperative, One of the Minnkota Power Systems, is a generation and transmission cooperative headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Minnkota's Strategic Plan - Shaping the Future Minnkota recently completed a strategic planning process which is intended to give direction to our future and allow us to proactively influence the shape of that future. Minnkota's mission is to assist the associated systems in Improving the quality of life of their consumers by continuously improving the value of electric energy to the consumer. Our business focus is creating and keeping satisfied, long-term energy customers.

Jan 1, 1994

By Thos. A. Stroup

From time to time the question of shearing or vertical cutting of rooms and entries especially as an adjunct to the usual horizontal cuts, has cropped up in the literature of coal mining and in the discussions of mining men. Exact and definite data based an thorough tests have usually been lacking however and the present article is written to supply as far as possible this deficiency. The tests given below were made over a period of 90 days in the summer of 1921 and the object was to investigate the general .economics, if any, that might result from the introduction of vertical cutting as a standard practice into the Clear Creek mines. The machine used was the Oldroyd Universal coal cutter and comparative tests were made against the Goodman Straight- face machine and the 35 B Jeffrey Shortwall. The tests however should be held to apply only to the various methods of cutting and not as a study in the relative merits of the various machines. The first series of tests were made in the 2nd East district of No. 3 mine, where only entries were being driven at the time, the tests therefore cover only entry work. The presumption was that the entry width would be 12 feet but the oxerrun in some cases was marked enough to make the work comparable to rooms. The first test made was to determine the time necessary to shear as well as cut the places, and the results were reduced to the time necessary to cut a ton of coal. The time for shearing in the table includes the time necessary to revolve the cutter bar to the vertical position.

Jan 1, 1924

By C. P. Crawford

In the current issue of Link-Belt News is this quotation: "Advancing waves of other people's progress sweep over the unchanging man and wash him out." As we look over the industrial world today we are struck by the many waves which are sweeping over backward industries. Mergers are being consummated in all lines of endeavor. General Motors are making radios and the Bendix Brake Company are making airplanes. Railroads which twenty years ago were called to account by the Federal Government for their efforts to form combinations are today being ordered to combine. But what is of immediate concern to the coal industry is the fact that there is now in existence or in project a total of 3,641 miles of pipe lines to carry natural gas to most of the country's industrial centers. This is the wave of progress which is sweeping toward you and me. If we are to grasp the significance of these many changes, we must widen our vision so that we may learn some- thing from 'the other fellow's experience. The first lesson is that cost of production alone is not a measure of profit. It is an interesting fact that the production of an article represents a definite loss until that article has been sold for a price in excess of its total cost, and the money is in the hands of the producer. If this is true, then the selling price is more important than the production cost.

Jan 1, 1930

MR. DICKINSON: There is an increase of dust in machine loading, especially with the McKinlay loading and cutting machine which was extremely dusty. MR. FORRESTER: Declared more dust must be expected because when loading by machinery, the coal is shot harder in order to make it easier for the machine to pick it up. He believes however, that there was less hazard because of the closer supervision possible by reason of the concentration of operation. MR. McAULIFFE: Machine loading more dusty than hand loading. D. HARRINGTON: The hazard is greatly increased by modern methods of loading. Not only do the methods increase the quantity of dust, but they also increase the rapidity of mining and the increased quantity of coal broken down causes large quantities of gas to be released. The number of motors on loading machines and conveyors add to the hazard. No more dangerous places can be found for such motors than at the working face where there is excessive quantities of pure coal dust and where there is more gas than along any other point. Regarding Mr. Herres remarks that the machine loading was safer on account of the concentration and possibility of close supervision, Mr. Harrington said he believed concentration likely to prove a source of danger rather than its preventive. At Dolomite, Alabama, a number of men had assembled, and as a result what was a relatively small explosion killed a large number of men. Concentration is not without its dangers to mine operations. MR. McAULIFFE: These arguments do not appeal to me. Few places are better sprinkled than the working places in a machine loading mine. There is. more effective supervision, and there can be more ventilation. I believe machine loading will increase safety by that very concentration that Mr. Harrington deplores.

Jan 1, 1925

By Eugene McAuliffe

The labor turn-over at coal mines has long been a fertile subject for parade by complaining coal operators, the question invariably occupying a place of prominence in the list of disabilities that tend to increase the cost of producing coal, adding likewise to the now startling number of accidents that occur in coal mines. This disability, however, is like the weather question, which some humorist once remarked of by saying, "The weather is something we all talk about, but nobody does anything to improve it." Endless compilations covering the shift of employment by coal mine labor have been made and published, and while the actual loss expressed in cents per ton in cost of coal produced has never been determined, the fact remains that such represents a substantial item, taking the mines of the country as a whole. Efficiency engineers who have made studies covering the cost of breaking in and training each new man employed in certain manufacturing industries, fix same as averaging not less than $100.00 per man, and when the character of mine employment is given due consideration, including its ever-present hazards, the difficulty of close personal super- vision of individual employes, and the, at times, almost impossible ability to transmit to men of many diverse nationalities understandable instructions, it is quite safe to say that the cost of securing and breaking in new men for underground mine work will fully equal that suffered by the factory managements. When we speak of mine labor turnover we must necessarily exclude the enforced shifting about of men who are laid off by the closure of mines due to accident or lack of market, con- fining ourselves to the turn-over occasioned by- (a) the dismissal of individual men or groups of men; (b) the voluntary resignation of the individual workman. It is these two methods of severance that the employer and employe alike suffer from; the item "Unclaimed Wages" carried in the accounts of every large coal company illustrative of the "quit this job, get another one" attitude of many workmen, who frequently, when leaving, fail to claim small sums due them, while others, in turn, leave a train of debts, large and small, behind. There is' ample evidence abroad to the effect that many

Jan 1, 1925