Conference kaosws::canada

    <<There have been 15 deaths so far, those recovered being nearer the
    <<entrance.  As of this morning the rescuers had yet to break through to
    <<the lower levels (300 meters) where other miners are trapped.  The
    <<rescuers have been hampered by lack of fresh air down in the mine.
    
    Eleven bodies were brought to the surface from Level 1 where the 
    explosion occurred.  Seven of the eleven are being buried today.
    
    Level 1 is approximately 900 metres from the surface.  The draegermen
    were able to use the ventilation shaft to reach Level 1 and allow fresh
    air to be pumped into the shaft (~50,000 litres per minute).  Since
    then, they have had a very slow time of it removing roof falls to reach
    the remaining levels (2 & 3).  Apparently this morning, they were able 
    to break through rubble that was blocking Level 2.  Level 3 is about
    1.5 Km from the surface.
    
    This type of coal face has been considered the most dangerous in the
    world.  Although the quality of the coal is extremely high this also
    means that there is an inherently high amount of methane escaping from
    micro-fissures.
    
    There are 15 miners yet to be found.  They have been down there for
    four days with an emergency air pack each that lasts four hours.
    
    Pat

    There is a lot of controversy surrounding this mine, from the
    perspective of the purchase and investment, and from the safety
    standards.
    
    The coal in Pictou county (around Plymouth) is a very high grade coal
    with low suphur content.  The hitch with that is that as a result the
    seams contain higher than average amounts of methane.  The methane
    builds up in fissures in the coal, from microscopic to large fissures
    of about .1 to .2 cubic metres.  This gas is under extremely high
    pressures, so when released from mining can produce very high local
    concentrations of methane that may not be detected on the ventilation
    exhaust fast enough to show a problem.  Add to this the fine coal dust
    in the air, which above a certain proportion becomes extrememly
    dangerous.  It was estimated that with sufficient coal dust in the air,
    and opening up a large methane filled fissure, spontaneous combustion
    could occur and the resulting explosion shock and fire could spread
    through the tunnels at about 4,000 miles per hour!
    
    It is well known that mines in the area have always had higher than
    normal risks because of the high grade coal.  Several companies
    believed that they had the technology to operate a mine safely and
    bid to operate a mine to boost employment in the region.  One of the
    companies was prepared to make a cash offer but was turned down, others
    required government subsidy and were extremely leveraged to buy and
    operate the mine, and it was reported that the selected operator
    is highly leveraged.
    
    It would seem that sufficient influence was exercised to open a mine
    in Pictou county, rather than another mine in Cape Breton (which is
    also very coal rich) because Cape Breton coal has a much higher sulphur
    content ("dirty" coal) and was thus this was considered an
    "environmentally friendly" choice.  Cape Breton coal mines do not have
    the same methane problem because the coal is dirtier.
    
    Many miners have left the Westray mine because they believed the mine
    to be operating unsafely ... there are lots of allegations.
    
    Thats some of the story behind the story.
    
    Stuart

    Three more bodies were found this morning.  The search for the
    remaining 12 people continues.

Is this the same place that another mining disaster happened back in the
late 50's (is that the right time frame)?  When I met a relative in Springhill
a few years ago, he said he was involved with the rescue operation for that
disaster.  He is the chief surgeon at the Springhill hospital.

I will write him a note, but I fully expect that he's somehow involved himself
with the rescue operations for this one as well.

Dave

<<Is this the same place that another mining disaster happened back in the
<<late 50's (is that the right time frame)?
    
    Right time-frame, wrong location.  The Nova Scotia mining disaster to
    which you refer occurred in Springhill which is south of Amherst and
    northwest of Plymouth/Stellarton/New Glasgow.  All of the latter are in
    the same area on the Northumberland Strait coast in Pictou County.
    
    Your friend is most likely involved as a number of people have come
    from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to help.
    
    Pat

    If memory serves, Springhill (which incedentally has seen 3 major
    mining disasters) is about 100 miles from Plymouth.

    I happen to have grown up in Pictou County aproximately 1 mile away
    from the Westray mine in Pictou. I now work out of the Digital office
    in Halifax. 
     The disaster has hit Pictou County very hard as it is a very close
    knit community where almost everybody knew somebody involved in the
    explosion. I myself knew one of the young men taken from the mine who
    was only 25 years old.
     There are many allegations in the papers everyday here in Nova Scotia 
    about who is at fault and why the mine should never have been opened in
    the first place. A rumour that Ihave heard from home is that the miners 
    may have hit an old mining shaft when drilling for coal . The shaft
    could have contained a methane gas pocket as some old shafts in the
    old mines had been sealed off because of methane gas explosions. Not
    quite sure what will come out of it but I think the mine will reopen
    as the area has a high rate of unemployment.
     Pictou County has a long history of coal mining dating back some 150 years
    when the Foord coal seam was first mined.This particular seam is said to 
    be one of the richest coal seams in the world. Many lives have been
    lost in the coal mines over the years. My Mother lost here grandfather
    many years ago in a methane gas explosion and they still have not
    recovered his body.