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Global Mine Accidents
Abstract
A mining accident may simply be defined as an accident that occurs in the process of mining minerals from underneath the surface of the planet. Each year, thousands of miners die from mining accidents, particularly in the area of coal mining and hard rock mining.
There are various causes for the occurrence of mining accidents, including leaks of poisonous or explosive natural gases, collapsing of mine stopes, dust explosions, flooding, or general mechanical errors from incorrectly used or malfunctioning mining equipment [1, 2].
Each year, a large number of fatalities occur in mines globally. Most of these fatalities occur in developing countries and rural parts of developed countries. Nonetheless, even in the United States an average of 93 people died in mining accidents during the period 1991–1999, in addition to an average of 21, 351 injuries per year [3]. Currently, China accounts for a large proportion of mining accident related fatalities, particularly in the area of coal mining. For example, it produces around 35% of the world’s coal and accounts for about 80% of coal-mining fatalities.
Also, the worst coal mining disaster in the world occurred in China on April 26, 1942 at the Benxihu Colliery, located at Benxi, Liaoning. In this mining accident, a coal-dust explosion killed 1572 people [4]. This chapter presents various important aspects of global mine accidents.
... Gas explosion is a serious hazard. It has taken away thousands of lives and caused severe damages to factories, buildings and transportation systems [1]. When it happens with, for example, syngas or natural gas in a closed chamber, it can destroy the chamber if a venting system or a suppressing device is not properly installed [2e4]. ...
... The maximum rate of pressure rise is defined as the highest value of pressure rise rate observed at a given fuel concentration under specific initial temperature and pressure conditions [6]. The maximum pressure rise rate is normalized with the chamber volume, V, to obtain deflagration index, (1) It is assumed that the deflagration index is constant and independent of the combustion chamber volume [7,8]. As shown in Table 1, the higher the deflagration index is, the more robust the explosion and the greater hazard level of the explosion will be [9]. ...
In this study, effect of carbon dioxide dilution on explosive behavior of syngas/air mixture was investigated numerically and experimentally. Explosion in a 3-D cylindrical geometry model with dimensions identical to the chamber used in the experiment was simulated using ANSYS Fluent. The simulated results showed that after ignition, the flame front propagated outward spherically until it touched the wall, like the propagating flame observed in the experiment. Both experimental and simulated results presented a same trend of decreasing the maximum explosion pressure and prolonging the explosion time with CO2 dilution. The results showed that for CO2 additions, the maximum explosion pressure decreased linearly and the explosion time increased linearly, while the maximum rate of pressure rise decreased nonlinearly, which can be correlated to an exponential equation. In addition, both results showed a good agreement for syngas/air flame with CO2 addition up to 20% in volume. However, larger discrepancies were observed for higher levels of CO2 dilutions. Of the three diluents tested, carbon dioxide displayed the strongest effect in reducing explosion hazard of syngas/air flame compared to helium and nitrogen. Chemical kinetic analysis results showed that maximum concentration of major radicals and net reaction rates of important reactions drastically decreased with CO2 addition, causing a reduction of laminar flame speed.
... However, deep mining occurs in a very technically challenging environment, in which significant innovative solutions and best practice are required and additional safety standards must be implemented to overcome the challenges and reap huge economic gains. These challenges include the catastrophic events that are often met in deep mining engineering: rockbursts, gas outbursts, high in situ and redistributed stresses, large deformation, squeezing and creeping rocks, and high temperature (2,3). Literature often deals with the current global status of deep mining and highlights some of the newest technological achievements and opportunities associated with rock mechanics and geotechnical engineering in deep mining. ...
Background
Reuse of waste materials present in the technosphere, such as the metal mining tailings is becoming a more economical and energy-efficient method for obtaining the raw materials than the classical mining. Number of patents are presenting methods for tailings recycling, often in construction industry and metallurgy. At the same time, world market for metallic nanomaterials is rapidly increasing with numerous new applications and these two subjects should be connected.
Methods
Paper presents the hypothesis that fine sludge from the metal mining tailings could be dominant source of the raw material for the nanotechnology. The idea is based on the fact that most of the usual publications present methodologies for synthesis of nanomaterials only from high-quality chemicals which is often expensive and unsustainable. Proposition here says, that it would be more economical to use the tailings as one of the technospheric wastes, directly by extracting the metal ions, selectively precipitating their cations and subsequently using them in nanotechnologies. Arguments are given by cross-comparison of the literature and patents on iron, bauxite, lead/zinc, copper, tailings and also the extraction of rare earth elements from tailing resources.
Results
Metal mining tailings are shown to be an emerging subject in various research papers and patents together with other secondary raw materials.
Conclusions
Use of the metal mining tailings as the resources in nanotechnology, is a large energy-saving potential. Taking advantage of this readily available technospheric waste which contains mostly micrometer particles, should contribute also to the zero-metal waste goals.
... The worst underground mining tragedy, caused by a gas explosion in Australia, killed 96 people in 1902 (Radford, 2014). The deadliest underground coal mine explosion in human history occurred in 1942, resulting in 1549 fatalities at the Benxihu Colliery in China (Dhillon, 2010). On July 31, 2014, a series of gas explosions from an underground pipeline occurred in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, causing 32 fatalities and 321 injuries (Yang, Chen, & Chiu, 2016). ...
Underground structures are normally located in highly-confined and congested spaces, which may lead to severe gas explosion accidents, with significant human and economic losses. For accurately evaluating the consequences of these explosions, a variety of influencing factors need to be considered, including concentrations of gas mixtures, vent conditions, obstacles, and ignition features. Moreover, a good review on these influencing factors is important for a better understanding of explosion behavior, e.g., the deflagration to detonation phenomenon. In this study, some critical influencing factors for gas explosions in underground or confined spaces are investigated, and the effects of the factors on such gas explosions are examined. The results are discussed, along with findings from literature. The present study provides a reference for future studies on safety management and consequence mitigation for underground gas explosions.
... A number of coal mine accidents have been described in literature [3][4][5][6] which have motivated research on understanding the explosion severities of methane [7], coal dust [8,9] and methane-coal dust hybrid mixtures [10][11][12][13]. The most devastating coal mine accident in human history occurred in 1942 at the Benxihu Colliery in China, leaving 1,549 people lifeless [14]. The worst coal mine explosion in Australia occurred in 1902, which killed 96 people at Mount Kembla Mine [15]. ...
This article reports an investigation on the explosion characteristics of methane–coal dust hybrid mixtures in a ducted spherical vessel. Methane–coal dust hybrid mixture explosion can occur in coal mines and spread into mine tunnels. While investigating the effects of methane addition to coal dust–air mixtures, the violence of coal dust explosions was found to increase significantly in the presence of methane. The energy of ignition was found to impact on the pressure rises in the vessel and in the duct. The experimental data and scientific analysis presented can assist in addressing ducted explosions originating from hybrid mixtures in process industries such as coal mines.
... and property. According toKhan and Abbasi (1999),are caused or enhanced by methane and natural gas, as reported by a number of researchers (Ajrash et al., 2016a;Akgun, 2015;Dhillon, 2010;Kundu et al., 2016;Lee, 2003;Lowesmith and Hankinson, 2013;Market et al., 2015;Tu, 2011;Wang et al., 2014). It is important to advise that 85%–99% of natural and fugitive gases consist of methane (Gamezo et al., 2012). ...
Methane explosion hazards in pipes are of pivotal concern in chemical plants. Accurate knowledge of flame deflagration and its behaviours are required to reduce the consequences of accidental fires and explosions. Considering a lack of experimental work exists in large scale methane-air deflagration systems, a detonation tube (30 m long) was facilitated at the University of Newcastle to cover the knowledge gap in terms of boosting flame deflagration of low methane concentrations and also examining flame deflagration characteristics with different reactive lengths (3, 6, 12 and 25 m). The feature of injecting methane at varied reactive sections (RS) was achieved using a balloon isolation system, a 50 mJ chemical ignitor used to ignite the initial explosion section. The results revealed that stagnation pressure gradually increased, from 2.03 bar to 3.77 bar then 4.57 bar, with increasing RS length from 3 m to 6 m then 12 m, respectively. There was no significant influence of 1.25% or 2.5% methane concentrations on dynamic or stagnation pressures, however, they extended the travelling flame distance by about 3 m for RS lengths of 12 m and 25 m. At 9.5% methane concentration and for a RS of 12 m a state of fast deflagration was observed, associated with 5 bar pressure rise. The pressure wave up to 6.5 m was only a few milliseconds (about 15 ms) ahead of the flame for almost the full methane concentration range, however, after this point the gap between the pressure wave and the flame significantly varied in accordance to the methane concentration, where the data analysis at 15 m indicated that for 9% methane concentration the flame was only 21 ms behind the pressure wave, and for 5% and 15% methane concentration the flame was behind the pressure wave in the range of 55–93 ms. Due to the limited length of the DT compared with the large volume of methane injected, there was no significant influence on the flame deflagration properties when extending the RS length from 12 m to 25 m, as the mixture initially located after 12 m pushed out through the open end.
... Methane from coal mines initiated explosions in these disasters and the explosions are later escalated by coal dust. The deadliest coal mine explosion in human history occurred in 1942 at the Benxihu Colliery, China killing 1549 people (Dhillon, 2010a). A number of other coal mine explosions are reported in literature (Dhillon, 2010a,b;Tu, 2011). ...
By 2020, coal mining and power generation had been growing in Southeast Asia for decades and were projected to rise to new heights of prominence in regional energy systems, weakening the energy security of all states in the region except Indonesia, jeopardizing the NDCs of the ASEAN states under the Paris Agreement and deepening existing domestic political fault lines. Coal utilization has well-known public health, agricultural, water security and economic consequences, many of which are magnified in Southeast Asia, with its high population density and limited wind and arable land. Paradoxically, the short-sighted focus on affordability imposes significant longer-term economic risks on these states as renewable energy prices fall, while ASEAN markets for such energy sources remain underutilized.
Rock engineering research and technology development in South Africa received serious attention in reaction to the Coalbrook disaster only in 1960. At the time, a number of gaps in knowledge of rock-related matters were identified and in the ensuing years, these were progressively attended to. The paper describes the events that led up to the Coalbrook disaster and reviews the developments that took place afterwards. The effectiveness of the research outcomes is tested by referring back to the disaster. It is concluded that tremendous advances were made but that not all the unknowns were attended to at the same level. The strength of nominally square internal pillars is the one issue that received the most attention, but the strength of barrier pillars, overburden behaviour and loading systems is still largely unknown. Due to the complexity of the remaining unknowns, they can and should be addressed by the application of back calibrated numerical models. There are no readily available simple analytical solutions. The state of mining rock engineering research in South Africa borders on an emergency. More than a 1 000 years of aggregate research experience has been lost in the last three years and funding is under severe pressure. There are disturbing parallels between the current positioning of the industry as a whole and the Coalbrook mine in the years preceding the disaster. © The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2006.
Fatal underground coal mine injuries are a worldwide problem. Zonguldak holds 95% of all Turkey's coal reserves.
To investigate fatalities in the underground coal-mining industry in the Zonguldak province.
Retrospective study of fatal underground coal-mining accidents from 1994 to 2003 through evaluation of industry records.
There were 164 deaths available for analysis. The median age was 36 years (range: 14-56 years). Eighty-one fatalities (49%) were due to subsidence, 33 (20%) were due to underground railway accidents and 18 (11%) were due to gas poisoning. Asphyxia was the most common cause of death (99, 60%). The majority of fatalities (144, 87%) occurred instantaneously at the scene of the incident. The remainder (20, 13%) occurred on the way to the hospital or in the emergency room or the intensive care unit.
The underground coal-mining industry in Turkey requires strategies to improve safety and reduce the number of fatalities occurring. These strategies should focus on improved underground safety through engineering measures.
Death from asphyxia due to substitution of air by methane gas may occur in coal mine by gas outburst. In such a case, it is required to determine methane gas contents from cadaveric blood and tissues for diagnosing cause of death and estimating conditions of the accident. The methane concentration in blood and tissue samples of 22 male victims by a gas outburst accident was measured by gas chromatography. The level of methane in the cardiac blood was in the range of 6.8-26.8 [mu]liter/g. As a model of gas outburst in coal mine, rats were exposed experimentally to various concentrations of methane. Their course of death and methane distribution in the bodies were observed. From these findings, diagnostic criteria for asphyxia from substitution of air by methane are also discussed.
On 9 May 1992 an underground explosion destroyed the Westray coal mine located in Plymouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. Twenty-six miners were killed. This paper attempts to resolve the multiple layers of accident causation by systematic application of a loss causation model. Immediate and basic causes having their origin in lack of management control are identified. The analysis helps to identify the lessons to be learned from this disaster, the two most important of which are the need for a rigorous loss management system and an appropriate attitude toward industrial safety.
Despite significant reductions in mining injuries, incidence rates remain high compared to other industries. A systematic risk analysis was undertaken to thoroughly characterize injuries for the 10-year period from 1995 to 2004. Data were obtained from U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reports. The categories: fatalities, non-fatal days-lost (NFDL) injuries, and no-days-lost (NDL) injuries have been analyzed, and a preliminary risk matrix produced. The results show decreasing injury frequency for all categories over the period examined. However, there still exists a “serious” level of risk for fatal and NFDL injuries, and a “moderate” level of risk for NDL injuries. These findings emphasize the need for continued efforts to reduce mining injuries and should be helpful in prioritizing control strategies. The results of this study represent a preliminary “global” risk analysis, and will therefore form the basis of subsequent more detailed studies.
Leger, J.-P., 1991. Trends and causes of fatalities in South African mines. Safety Science, 14: 169–185.The trends and principal causes of occupational fatalities and disasters (defined as six or more fatalities in one incident) in the South African mining industry are analysed. A miner who spends twenty years working underground faces a one in thirty chance of dying in an occupational accident. The gold mine fatality rate has improved only 33% since 1945, whereas in the coal mines it has declined substantially. Fatality rates in the diamond mines remain at levels similar to those of the 1920s. In other mineral mines the rate has increased since the 1930s. The most important cause of fatalities are falls of ground. In gold mines, rockbursts increase the fatality rate to three times the average at depths below 3000 m. Disasters remain a significant contributor to total fatalities, more disasters having occurred in the 1980s than in any other decade this century. In comparison with the accident experience of the United States, New South Wales, West Germany, India and Britain, countries with substantial coal mining industries, the South African underground colliery fatality rate is worse by factors ranging from two to eight times. Recommendations to ameliorate the high rate of fatalities include publication of improved accident statistics; elucidation of the relationship between injury rates and depth; identification of high risk occupations; special attention to be paid to the poor improvements in fatality rate trends for gold, diamond and other mineral mines; the establishment of an independent (government) deep level mining research institute; and more thorough investigations into disasters and analyses of disaster trends.
Death from asphyxia due to substitution of air by methane gas may occur in coal mine by gas outburst. In such a case, it is required to determine methane gas contents from cadaveric blood and tissues for diagnosing cause of death and estimating conditions of the accident. The methane concentration in blood and tissue samples of 22 male victims by a gas outburst accident was measured by gas chromatography. The level of methane in the cardiac blood was in the range of 6.8-26.8 microliters/g. As a model of gas outburst in coal mine, rats were exposed experimentally to various concentrations of methane. Their course of death and methane distribution in the bodies were observed. From these findings, diagnostic criteria for asphyxia from substitution of air by methane are also discussed.
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