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 Post subject: Cropfalls in Pottsville/Sharp Mountain
PostPosted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:11 pm 
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These are neat but dangerous.


http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/subject/advcoun/minrec/Mrab_2002/MRAB%20sharp%20mtn.pdf

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 6:52 am 
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If I have my geography correct, it sounds like RS & W may be pulling a bit too much coal.

Also anyone venture a guess on the thickness of that top vein? I know that subsidence will spread out as it breaks the surface, but that is wide/thick.

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 3:42 pm 
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Where is that? I've seen stuff like that from the air before and figured it could only come from mining because of how straight it was. I was too high up to get a look though.

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:28 pm 
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Here's another view.

http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH11#JnE9eXAucG90dHN2aWxsZStwYSU3ZXNzdC4wJTdlcGcuMSZiYj01MC43OTIwNDcwNjQ0MDY5JTdlLTU4LjYyMzA0Njg3NSU3ZTMuMTYyNDU1NTMwMjM3ODYlN2UtMTMyLjA5OTYwOTM3NQ==

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:25 pm 
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The first link of the post explains some stuff.


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:41 pm 
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Missed the first link, just thought it was related to the photo. So I flew over that going to and from Dulles, not Philthy. Interesting how they plan on filling it.

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PostPosted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:12 pm 
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so i didnt really understand the explanation i donty think so lemme see if i do or not. this is a coal vein that has been mined out and is now collapsing? how deep is it? and are they filling the whole it makes or the underground mines themselves?


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PostPosted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:35 pm 
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navycaptain8 wrote:
this is a coal vein that has been mined out and is now collapsing?


That is correct.

Quote:
how deep is it? and are they filling the whole it makes or the underground mines themselves?



They are just filling the hole as I understand. I think there is active mining very close to where this picture was taken.

The coal vein appears to be outcropping or breaking the surface. How deep the workings were/are is anybodies guess. Remember that in heavy pitch and this appears to be heavy and approaching vertical. The coal may be a few feet wide and and run from the surface to several hundred feet deep.

Hope this helps

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PostPosted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:34 pm 
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I was bored this afternoon. For Navycaptain and anyone else who is interested.

Here is my understanding of what is going on.


Start with a nice mountain with a couple of coal veins that run on heavy pitch.


Image



ARM Mining puts a drift mine into the mountain. Pushing a gangway along the lower portion of the vein.

Image





As the coal is removed it leaves a cavity in the mountain. The thought is that the timbers and coal pillars left will support the top. And in many cases the mine tries to leave enough coal at the surface to prevent the chute from breaking the surface.


Image



But over time it tends to give way. Timbers rot and the top gives way. The result on the surface is what is seen in the first picture of this thread. The top rock and remaining coal collapse. And the subsidence works it way to the surface. This material is unstable and it is hard to know the extent of the collapse and if any voids remain below.


Image

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PostPosted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 7:56 pm 
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Thanks Doug, those drawings show exactly what happened.
For those who attended this years Spring 3 mine tour, Banks demonstrated this style of mining and told a very funny story of a tree on the surface getting shorter as he was working below.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 8:00 pm 
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Location: Within 60 Miles of the Northern Anthracite Field
very nicely done doug........ :wink:

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 9:45 pm 
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thanks was very helpful. so does anyone know if this is caused by the mine thats still active or not?


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 4:38 am 
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This wasn't caused by an active operations, otherwise they would be responsible for backfilling the void.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 12:54 pm 
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Location: West Virginia
And people complain about longwall mining.lol....... :lol:

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 8:19 pm 
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HaHa! Just think this was caused by a couple of guys and a "Few" cases of powder :wink:

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