Mitigation and Management of Mining Disasters
Contents: Preface. 1. Mining and the environment. 2. Fore and explosion in coal mines. 3. Environment management in mining. 4. Mines wastes handling. 5. Mine land reclamation. 6. Sustainable mining. Bibliography. Index.
"Fire is still challenge to Indian mining industry, as it is directly affected the safety and health, economical developments and environmental concern. In order to understand the catastrophe of mine fire it is necessary to refer some statistics. In total 196 mine fires are reported in different coal field of the country. 12 numbers of fires are in eastern coal field limited (ECL) spread over 6.5 sq.km area. 61 fire in western coal field limited (WCL) spread over 1.19 sq.km. The majority of 65 fires are reported in Bharat cooking coal limited (BCCL) covering an area of 17.32 sq.km. In BCCL itself that produces prime cooking coal about 11.7 per cent of the total coal reserves (15940 MT) has been locked up due to fire. Tracing the history of coal mining in India, it is seen that fire and explosion in underground coal mines routinely killed number of miners, that occurred at different times. Although Central Mining Research Institute (CMRI) has done much in its 33 years \'history to make mine safer, mining disaster still happens. As recent as 24 January 1994 for example, a fire at New Kenda Colliery of ECL cost the lives of 55 miners. In other areas fire have caused untold hardships to the habitats of these areas. Vast tracts of land have rendered sterile and emission of such poisonous gases likes sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide had turned the atmosphere into a death trap. It has also changed the water quality and lowers the water level in concern area. According to a study done by CMRI, about 75 percent of the residents near the fires areas especially children are suffering from various diseases, and about 65 per cent of the miners who works underground have lung disease. Moreover habitats are threatened with subsidence and destruction because of fire. Till 1993, more than 2500 houses in Dhanbad Jharia coal field have collapsed and more than 10,000 are still in danger." (jacket)
"Fire is still challenge to Indian mining industry, as it is directly affected the safety and health, economical developments and environmental concern. In order to understand the catastrophe of mine fire it is necessary to refer some statistics. In total 196 mine fires are reported in different coal field of the country. 12 numbers of fires are in eastern coal field limited (ECL) spread over 6.5 sq.km area. 61 fire in western coal field limited (WCL) spread over 1.19 sq.km. The majority of 65 fires are reported in Bharat cooking coal limited (BCCL) covering an area of 17.32 sq.km. In BCCL itself that produces prime cooking coal about 11.7 per cent of the total coal reserves (15940 MT) has been locked up due to fire. Tracing the history of coal mining in India, it is seen that fire and explosion in underground coal mines routinely killed number of miners, that occurred at different times. Although Central Mining Research Institute (CMRI) has done much in its 33 years \'history to make mine safer, mining disaster still happens. As recent as 24 January 1994 for example, a fire at New Kenda Colliery of ECL cost the lives of 55 miners. In other areas fire have caused untold hardships to the habitats of these areas. Vast tracts of land have rendered sterile and emission of such poisonous gases likes sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide had turned the atmosphere into a death trap. It has also changed the water quality and lowers the water level in concern area. According to a study done by CMRI, about 75 percent of the residents near the fires areas especially children are suffering from various diseases, and about 65 per cent of the miners who works underground have lung disease. Moreover habitats are threatened with subsidence and destruction because of fire. Till 1993, more than 2500 houses in Dhanbad Jharia coal field have collapsed and more than 10,000 are still in danger." (jacket)
