ANTHRACITE MINING &

RESCUE
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection

Paul W. Wagner

Deep Mine Safety Emergency Response

Training Specialist
Anthracite & Industrial Minerals Division
• Anthracite Coal

Anthracite coal is mined mainly in eastern

Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania anthracite
mining region lies within an eight county
area located in the northeastern part of the
state. It is estimated that anthracite coal is
located in a 484 square mile area.
The region is divided into four district fields:
the northern, eastern-middle, western-
middle, and the southern. The southern
field is the largest. The coal beds of the
northern field are of comparatively flat
pitch. The eastern-middle field is
comprised of shallow basins. The
remaining two fields have steep pitching,
twisting and folding of the coal veins and
surrounding rock strata.
Up to 35 coal seams and splits are available
for both underground and surface mining.
Underground mining is currently confined
to the western-middle and southern fields.
Excessive flooding and other economic
reasons have forced suspension of
underground mining in other areas.
Underground mining is practiced in seams
pitching from flat to inverted pitch.
• At one time Porter Tunnel, a mine in our area
mined 14 coal seams from a single tunnel entry by
driving rock tunnels between the seams.
• The seams mined ranged from 3’ to 35’ thick.
• Employment was approximately 176 miners.
• The entry was a single tunnel with gangways
driven both east and west and the chutes were
driven up into the coal seams from the gangways.
• Each seam had a second opening into it for return
air and an escapeway.
• All roof support was with timber (single prop, 2-
piece, and 3-piece sets.
• Approximately 15 tons of timber a day were used.
 Depending on the distance between the coal
seams, mines will drive rock tunnels between
the coal seams and mine more than one seam.
• Anthracite Coal Facts
Anthracite is a low sulphur (0.5 to 1.5%), high
carbon (92% and above) coal.
Estimates (printed in 1996) of mineable reserves
range from five to twelve billion tons.
1 ton of anthracite coal contains as many B.T.U.’s
as:
186 gallons of #2 heating oil
2 cords of dry hardwood
25,412 cubic feet of natural gas
767.7 kilowatt hours of electricity
Anthracite coal dust is not explosive, thus
eliminating rock dusting requirements and
reducing the possibility of explosions.
Methane and black damp are found in SOME mines
in TRACE amounts.
Ventilation occurs naturally because of a
combination of barometric pressure changes, the
pitch of the coal seams, and the specific gravity of
the gas involved. Mechanical ventilation ensures
and enhances the flow of air to all areas of the
mines.
The average number of miners in an anthracite mine
is 3.5 miners.
 The picture at the right is what most of the
anthracite area calls a miner, not the machine
on the left.
The picture on the left shows the roof at the
top, the floor – bottom, left and right ribs.
Where would you identify the same areas in
the picture on the right?
 Mining in the Anthracite area consists of a
variety of mining methods. Small and large
stripping operations.
 Flat pitch and tunnel mines which use
continuous miners or conventional methods
(drill and shoot) to mine the pitch.
 Mine Development
• There are four ways to develop an
anthracite deep mine which are based on the
type of portal or entry used:
• 1. Tunnel
• 2. Drift
• 3. Slope
• 4. Shaft
• Tunnel Entry
This type of entry is similar to the Drift Entry,
except development begins via a tunnel on
the surface usually driven perpendicular to
the coal seam through rock strata. The
tunnel is driven on a slight upgrade pitch to
allow for drainage and easier haulage.
Another entry (shaft, slope, or bore holes) is
also used for the fanway and interconnects
to allow a circuit for the air to travel.
• Mine Development
An example of this type of mine in our area mines on the
flat pitch.
This mine uses continuous miners to cut the coal, roof
bolters, and shuttle cars to move the loosened coal
from the miner on to the conveyor systems.
This is currently the largest mine in size (over 2 miles
long and ¼ mile wide) and employs 35 men
underground.
Ventilation is accomplished with blowing fans which
blow air out the main tunnel and 6 foot bore holes for
intake and return air located on top of the mountain.
The seam height mined is from 3 to 9 feet.
 This mine with one entry and vent holes
above on the mountain is mined flat pitch.
• Drift Entry
This type of entry begins on the outcrop of the
coal seam, but is located usually in the gap
of a mountain. The floor of the entry way is
driven on a slight upgrade pitch to allow for
gravity to drain the mine and the easier
movement of coal cars. Another entry, an
air shaft drilled from the top of the
mountain, is also used for the fanway and
interconnects to allow a circuit for the air to
travel.
• Mine Development
An example of a drift mine in our area uses a drill and
shoot method to mine the pitch.
This mine has also one entry, and a battery motor to
move mine cars through the mine and an air operated
mucker.
Unlike the other mines which mine on a flat pitch,
this mine has the main gangway driven in rock,
parallel to the coal seams. At approximately 25 foot
intervals they drive chutes upward into the coal seam
to mine the coal using the same methods as the slope
and pitch mines.
Ventilation is an exhaust fan located on top of the
mountain drawing air into the main gangway.
• Slope Entry
Two or more parallel entries are driven
approximately 60 feet apart starting from
the outcrop of the coal seam at the surface
downward along the pitch. The main slope
will be used for coal haulage and supplies.
The second slope will be used for a fan
installation and escapeway.
• Mine Development
This mine is not the typical slope mine in our area
because they use four entries and are mining on the
flat pitch similar to a bituminous mine.
The mine uses a continuous miner, roof bolter, and
conveyor system. The conveyor system is always in
contact with the miner with a bridge system..
Ventilation is accomplished with a fan blowing
system similar to bituminous mines.
The average seam height mined is 28 inches.
Flat pitch for an anthracite mine can vary from flat
to a 20 degree pitch.
Flat Pitch Slope – If you could cut the top of
the mountain off on the dotted line and look
down, the bottom picture is what you would
see inside the mine.
Most common of the mines in Anthracite are
the slope mines on a steep pitch over 20
degrees.
Slope mines. – To see what they look like,
you would have to remove the face of the
mountain not the top.
• Mine Development
Slope mines.
These methods are the most common in the
Anthracite area. From a point on the mountain, mine
openings and parallel accompanying return airways
are driven into the coal vein to be mined to a
predetermined depth.
A gangway or intake haulageway, together with a
companion return airway or monkey heading is driven
off the main slope across the pitch. Connecting
crosscuts, called chutes, are driven up the pitch from
the gangway to the monkey. The chutes provide
access and a controlled means for loading coal.
• Shaft Entry
This type of entry starts at the surface and
develops straight downward through the
rock strata. Another shaft or other type of
entry can be used for the fanway and
secondary escape path. Shafts were very
common in the anthracite coal region many
years ago, but it has been more than seventy
years since a shaft has been sunk in the
anthracite region.
• Mining Methods – Slope & Shaft mines
This development will continue until the
property limit has been reached or faults are
encountered. Pillar recovery or retreat
mining may begin at the deepest point of
penetration and continue outby toward the
slope, or partial pillar recovery may occur
as the pillars above the first miner heading
are recovered on the advance. Similar
development takes place in both directions
off the slope. Successive lifts or levels are
developed as the slope is extended.
• Mining Methods – Slope & Shaft mines
For development above the monkey
airway, either full-box, open, or slant
breasts will be driven up the pitch to the
level above. The type of breast selected for
development is based on the roof structure,
vein thickness, dip or pitch of the vein, and
coal friability. Crosscut connections
between adjacent breasts are called
headings in both full-box and open breasts
and back slants where slant breasts are
used.
Transportation and Haulage is accomplished
by using a hoist, tipple, and slope buggy or
gunboat.
The only powered equipment used to mine the
coal are pneumatic hammers, chain saws, or
muckers.
• Coal Production
To control the flow of coal, chutes constructed of timber
and plank are erected above the gangway. The chute
contains two control boards for tapping the coal into the
conveyance system used to move the coal outby to the
slope. Blastholes are drilled upward into the face with
hand-held pneumatic drills, loaded with permissible
explosives and stemming, and fired. The shot coal is
then loaded and the working place is prepared for
timbering. Pneumatic chainsaws or hand saws are used
to cut props and timber. As the miners advance the
chute they must carry with them approximately 400
pounds of equipment up the chute for one day’s work.
• Coal Production – Tapping coal into either
a hand pushed or battery moved mine car
for transport to the slope buggy.
 Coal Production – drags or conveyors are
used in some mines to move & load coal into
the slope buggy.
 Coal is then taken to the surface in the slope
buggy and dumped either on the ground or on
a shaker for sorting.
• Roof and Rib Control
The predominant method of roof and rib support in
anthracite mining uses wooden timbers (props),
lagging and planks for lining. Timbers are set as
single props and two or three-piece sets. While
roof bolts are used occasionally in gangways,
tunnels or drifts to improve clearance, they are
rarely used in other areas of up pitch development.
As the pitch of the vein increases the timber is used
more for support of the high side rib than roof,
while the lagging and lining with planks behind the
lagging and timbers protect miners from
sliding/falling coal. Roof supports may not exceed
5 foot centers lengthwise.
Roof bolting in most Anthracite mines is done
with pneumatic hammers.
• Roof Support Materials
Length of timbers: as required but not to exceed 8
feet when installed as single props.
Diameter of timbers: 6 inch minimum diameter
when used in the slope as single props or as legs in
two or three-piece sets--5 inch minimum diameter
where used as rib supports or as single props in
slants, chute and back slants—but at no time will
the diameter of a prop be less than 1 inch for every
15 inches in length.
Type of timber: untreated hardwood with or without
bark.
• Roof Support Materials
Legs and Collar timber: minimum 6 inch diameter
hardwood without bark; sawed plank collars
minimum 3 inches thick by 8 inches wide by 72
inches in length; or minimum 6 inch diameter
hardwood round collar.
Liner planks: minimum width of 6 inches by 1 inch
thick sawed hardwood minimum. Planks are used
to protect miners from loose material.
Lagging Poles: 72 inches by 2.5 to 3 inches
diameter hardwood poles with bark. Laggings are
used to stabilize between timber sets.
Cap Block, size and shape: 2 inch by 4 inch by 12
inch minimum dimensions sawed hardwood with
parallel sides used in conjunction with wedges or
tapered sawed hardwood 0 to 2 inches thick by 6
inches by 18 inches minimum.
Wedges, size and shape: sawed hardwood with
width at least equal to post diameter by 8 inch
minimum length by 0 to 2 inches tapered
thickness.
Fore poles: usually 4 inch diameter and 12 feet long
are used for maintaining the roof between timbers.
Roof Support – Haulage slope
 Roof Support – Gangway
Three-piece set on left & single props on right
Roof Support – Gangway – two-piece set
• Roof Support Chutes and Breasts
Ventilation – because of the chimney effect of
the return airways, methane & carbon
monoxide are naturally liberated. These
airways also serve as the second entry for the
mines.
Ventilation can easily be changed with the use
of line curtains and/or booster fans.
 When additional air is needed in a specific
area, fans with tubing are used to supply the
air.
Escape ways – primary is usually the slope
and secondary is the return air.
 Electrical – most mines have minimal
electrical. A charger for a battery motor and a
sump pump.
Explosives – dynamite and primers are stored
in most of the mines.
 Anthracite Mine Rescue – What makes us
different?
• Variety – Because of the size, number of miners
employed and types of face equipment, the
anthracite rescue must have both 6 member and 3
member teams plus alternates. This requires two
different types of training. All 16 members must
train for the large flat pitch bituminous type mine
and the slope and shaft mines. Firefighting would
include mine wide fire systems with hoses for
larger face equipment and power centers. Fire
extinguishers would be used for a fuse box or
battery motor fire in the slope and pitch mines.
Anthracite Mine Rescue
• Size – Some of the slope buggies are only
large enough to accommodate two rescuers
with equipment. Gangways, monkeys, and
chutes in some areas may be only 24 inches
wide as compared to 20 feet in others. The
distances between areas in the mines may
be less than 1000 feet in most mines
compared to miles in others. Depending on
the slope or pitch of the mine, more time
may be required to accomplish rescues
because of traveling ladders.
Anthracite Mine Rescue
• Physical fitness – Did I mention the ladders?
There are times when the only way into the mines
are the ladders! Have you ever wondered what it
would be like to travel 300 to 500 feet on a ladder
with approximately 35 pounds of equipment to get
to a main gangway and once you are there you
have to travel up each chute to explore the mine?
Part of the anthracite training is accomplished by
training on the side of a mountain to simulate
travel in the slope and pitch mines.
 If the props were knocked out in the entry of
this mine, the only other means of entry is 496
feet on the ladder shown.
Anthracite Mine Rescue
• Specialized equipment and training – Because of
the slope, pitch and the face areas where miners
work and can injuries may occur, our rescue teams
use specialized litters for transporting the injured.
We can also use carts in some of the flat pitch
mines. Besides the extra first aid training on how
to use the different types of litters, our teams must
train in all aspects (knots, harnesses, ropes,
anchors, and procedures) of repelling. It is not
easy to carry a stretcher with a patient on 90
degree pitch on a ladder.
Anthracite Mine Rescue
• Additional Hazards – abandoned and/or
uncharted mines, water, and variations in the
various coal seams. Abandoned mines
present a special hazard due to ATV’s and
motorcycles riding on the same areas where
mining occurred. The abandoned mines
frequently fill with water. Each individual
coal seam has their own peculiarities which
require specialized attention for support.
Anthracite Mine Rescue
• Non-metal mines – Our teams also covers a non-metal
mine which again presents a different set of hazards.
Motorized (diesel) equipment and of 120 to 180 feet
ceilings. The difference in ventilation is also
formidable. If you could put their ventilation in an
average anthracite mine, you would be working in 70
mph winds.
• Tour mines – Although we technically do not have to
provide mine rescue to these mines, our teams practice
and train regularly in these mines. Who would you
want handling a rescue in a tour mine if the motor
would accidentally knock out props in the entry while
taking a tour of 40 inexperienced people into a mine?
 Thank You to the mines included.
• Alfred Brown Coal
• B&B Coal • Orchard Coal
• Bear Gap Coal • Pioneer Tunnel
• Chestnut Coal Slopes #12 • Porter Tunnel
& #13
• • R&D Coal
FKZ Coal
• Harmony Mine • R&K Coal
• Jeddo Coal • Reading Anthracite
• Joliett Coal • RS&W Coal
• Kimmel Mining • S&M Coal
• Little Buck Coal • Schuylkill Coal Products
• Old Castle Minerals • Tito Coal
As Garth Brooks said in one of his songs, “I
got friends in low places”.