Free fax: 0800 00 77 88, Telephone: +27 11 498 7100 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. The South African mining industry will continue to be dedicated to the sustainable working conditions and practices that encompass a zero harm policy. Rescue was attempted from above and below. The tragedy that was Coalbrook will never be forgotten. Production increased over the years reaching 500 000 tons by 1950. Brooks grocery store in Briceville one year before the Cross Mountain Mine disaster. On the topographic map it is called the Birmingham Shaft. Modernisation: Towards the mine of tomorrow, Big boost for South African mining as old Comro reopens, Mining Operation Phakisa to start work in August, National Day of Safety & Health in Mining. Possibly one of the most important consequences was the research undertaken to determine pillar strength scientifically, resulting in the development of the Salamon-Munro pillar formula, which remains relevant to this day. I could nitpick a bit more, but will leave it at that. addyadc4ff4faa72cea1076c17f9625e74ae = addyadc4ff4faa72cea1076c17f9625e74ae + 'mineralscouncil' + '.' + 'org' + '.' + 'za'; If for any reason none appear click here for some troubleshooting tips. Just three years later, West Virginia’s first mining disaster occurred at the Mountain Brook shaft mine in the Preston County town of Newburg. Unsubscribe, Free call: 0800 022 007 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. On the morning of December 9, 1911, a roof fall occurred near one of the mine's entrances, which released methane gas into the air. It is in the form of an amphitheatre, situated where the South shaft used to be. The repair team working on the ventilation piping became aware of thundering noises at just after 19h00 and withdrew to a safe area. About the author: Horst originated from Germany many years ago. var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; The high air pressure damaged the main air-conditioning fan, cutting off the fresh air supply. Junior and Emerging Miners’ Desk resources. It is the site of another monument, not completed yet, position 26.9094ºS 27.9375ºE. The Cross Mountain Mine disaster was a coal mine explosion that occurred on December 9, 1911 near the community of Briceville, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. Coalbrook South which had been sunk to supply the new Highveld power station continued producing until 1990. At the same time it was reported that there was a subsidence on the surface of section 10. After a thorough examination by expert investigators, it was determined that the integrity of the supporting pillars designed to support the mine’s shaft had been compromised. Comments will load below. When it got into an open space, a microphone was sent down, but picked up only the sound of dripping water. The mine is situated in the Northern Free State, 21 km south west of Vereeniging. [1][4], A crowd consisting of miners' families and curious onlookers quickly gathered at the Cross Mountain Mine as miners and engineers immediately initiated a rescue operation. The Cross Mountain Mine was located at the western end of Slatestone Hollow, just over 1 mile (1.6 km) west of Briceville. This email address is being protected from spambots. Missing are the inscriptions of what this monument is all about. Boreholes that were able to reach the area indicated a major collapse of mine workings, flooding and high levels of methane. The disaster occurred in the Coalbrook coal mine of Clydesdale Colliery on 21 January 1960 at around 19:00 when approximately 900 pillars caved in, almost 180 metres underground. The rescue effort also helped the bureau's public image, and ensured continued funding in the future. That is probably the reason why the memorial was going to be erected here. The coal seam (No 2 seam on the sketch) extracted by the mine was of about 6m thickness, but this was only mined to 2.4m height. Mining was resumed on the 18 March in the non affected areas. Cross Mountain is a massive ridge situated along the eastern Cumberland Plateau just west of the plateau's Walden Ridge escarpment, in the coal-rich Cumberland Mountains. Two of the miners were burned, and two had left the barricaded area to find a way out, although all five were found alive. As a consequence of that, mining from the North shaft was abandoned. The likely cause of the explosion was the ignition of dust and gas released by a roof fall. A general exodus from the mine ensued. Coalbrook mine disaster, 1960 Mechanical Coal Cutter set on concrete block adjacent to the commemoration plate EXCERPT FROM... Breytenbach and Okhela. Some of the ventilation piping had been damaged. The Cross Mountain Mine disaster was a coal mine explosion that occurred on December 9, 1911 near the community of Briceville, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States.In spite of a well-organized rescue effort led by the newly created Bureau of Mines, 84 miners died as a result of the explosion.The likely cause of the explosion was the ignition of dust and gas released by a roof fall. (Ellen Tauscher)'. A criticism I have is the Ellen Tauscher quote on the stone:  'Our hearts go out to the victims of the coalbrook mining disaster tragedy and their families. Immediate efforts to reach the trapped employees were hampered by the presence of a high concentration of methane gas as a result of the cave-in. Click here for details on how to contribute. On Thursday, 21 January 1960 at 4:20pm, the roof of one of the northern sections of the mine caved in. var addy_textadc4ff4faa72cea1076c17f9625e74ae = 'info' + '@' + 'mineralscouncil' + '.' + 'org' + '.' + 'za';document.getElementById('cloakadc4ff4faa72cea1076c17f9625e74ae').innerHTML += ''+addy_textadc4ff4faa72cea1076c17f9625e74ae+'<\/a>'; You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The Granite Mountain/Speculator Mine disaster of June 8, 1917, occurred as a result of a fire in a copper mine, and was the most deadly event in underground hard rock mining in United States history. Shortly after the disaster, the United Mine Workers of America placed a marble obelisk in the middle of the Cross Mountain Miners' Circle containing the names of all 84 miners killed in the Cross Mountain Mine disaster. Rising to an elevation of 3,534 feet (1,077 m), the mountain is the highest point in Tennessee west of the Blue Ridge Province. In 1996, after the closure of Coalbrook South, the village and the workshops were bought by Richard Hse. History.'. The top end of the shaft was later sealed off  with an apron of concrete (see picture). An inspector of mines came on a routine inspection two weeks later. [6] Water was piped into the mine from a nearby brook, allowing the Bureau crews to extinguish fires and erect brattices. A rescue crew from the Bureau of Mines— which had been created the previous year— arrived at around noon equipped with gas masks and oxygen tanks. The date 21 January 1960 remains etched in the minds of hundreds of families, members of the mining community and South Africans as one of the definitive historical moments in the country’s history. addy8356fd2f03157782140b8601525320ca = addy8356fd2f03157782140b8601525320ca + 'tip-offs' + '.' + 'com'; document.getElementById('cloakadc4ff4faa72cea1076c17f9625e74ae').innerHTML = ''; Miners from the area just south also heard the noises and withdrew. Coal extraction from the south end of the section was not affected. He agreed to have a memorial erected. Similar accidents had previously occurred in other countries including the United States and many lessons were learnt from their responses. These entities became responsible for pioneering research in mining and safety systems, not only for the coal industry but also deep level gold mining. [3], Major mining operations began at the Cross Mountain Mine in 1888, when a railroad spur line was extended up the Coal Creek Valley and into Slatestone Hollow. A similar drill operated by a South African company has been used in previous international rescue operations such as Chile in 2010 and locally at Lily Mine, Barberton, in 2016. Two bodies were recovered the following day. ', published in The Journal of The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Dec 2006, Prof Nielen van der Merwe, Lessons from coalbrook, presentation to SACMA 22 August 2013.