Independent Mines in Pa

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11ultra103
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Post by 11ultra103 » Tue. Feb. 18, 2020 10:43 pm

Does anyone know id their are any independent mines left in pennslyvania, or d id msha shut them all down?

 
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Post by CoalJockey » Wed. Feb. 19, 2020 6:41 am

I don’t believe there are any of the family operations left, someone else will need to confirm this. If I recall correctly there were only perhaps a half a dozen left by ‘07 or so and those quickly faded by ‘10. The breaker that I was hauling from at the time purchased some coal from the mom and pop operators. It was a very tough time.

You are correct that it was the Federal safety regulations that dealt the final blow.

 
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Post by 11ultra103 » Wed. Feb. 19, 2020 8:33 am

CoalJockey wrote:
Wed. Feb. 19, 2020 6:41 am
I don’t believe there are any of the family operations left, someone else will need to confirm this. If I recall correctly there were only perhaps a half a dozen left by ‘07 or so and those quickly faded by ‘10. The breaker that I was hauling from at the time purchased some coal from the mom and pop operators. It was a very tough time.

You are correct that it was the Federal safety regulations that dealt the final blow.
I talked to my buddy yesterday, hes a truck drive and said he was hauling loads down to summit anthracite, they are filling in an old strip mine there. Got me thinking if any of the small mines were still going. Its a damn shame, cant even make money the way you want to in this country anymore. From what I've been seeing and researching, someone def had to have offered bribes to msha, or the "global activists" were pushing them

 
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Post by gaw » Wed. Feb. 19, 2020 12:39 pm

I think R&R is still mining at Sharp Mountain and the guy who has Superior is still deep mining. There could be a few more but I can't guarantee anything.


 
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Post by CoalJockey » Wed. Feb. 19, 2020 12:49 pm

Glenn, I was hoping you would see this, you and I have talked about this awhile back. Where is Sharp Mountain?

Most of those independent mines that were still chugging along when the death blow came down were mostly on the Southern end of the coal fields, or so I thought.

I remember the morning after the big meetings with the lobbyists and lawmakers in which David A. made his famous remark. I still chuckle when I think of that.

 
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Post by gaw » Wed. Feb. 19, 2020 12:56 pm

This is from PA DEP


http://files.dep.state.pa.us/Mining/Deep%20Mine%2 ... 0Mines.pdf

I notice the tourist tunnels are listed and this does not mean any of these mines are producing.
Last edited by gaw on Wed. Feb. 19, 2020 1:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

 
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Post by gaw » Wed. Feb. 19, 2020 1:01 pm

CoalJockey wrote:
Wed. Feb. 19, 2020 12:49 pm
Glenn, I was hoping you would see this, you and I have talked about this awhile back. Where is Sharp Mountain?

Most of those independent mines that were still chugging along when the death blow came down were mostly on the Southern end of the coal fields, or so I thought.

I remember the morning after the big meetings with the lobbyists and lawmakers in which David A. made his famous remark. I still chuckle when I think of that.
Well my dep link is broken.
(Fixed it :clap: )

Sharp mountain is in Pottsville. It is the mine from dirty jobs right along PA 901 on the west side of Pottsville. It appears to still have activity going on there.

When I get home if the right people come into the local watering hole I can find out what's up in the southern anthracite field.

 
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Post by DRBill » Wed. Feb. 19, 2020 2:13 pm

The guy who delivers our coal said Superior has two deep mines and also gets coal from Darryl Koperna. Lykens? I think Dirty Jobs was filmed at the RS&W mine, which is a drift mine. Still in business, or was it taken over by R&R? Who now has what used to be Summit coal?

As an aside, I posted this before and got no reply. We get our coal from Superior and, for many years, it was straight nut coal. This year, we are getting at least 25% that is stove coal or even bigger as in 2" X 3 1/2" smaller and greater diameter. Getting to the bottom of the bin now and finding a lot of stuff that is smaller than pea coal. Looks like rice, but I've never really seen what true rice coal looks like. Having bridging for the first time. Could that be due to the stove and bigger coal?

Bill


 
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Post by gaw » Wed. Feb. 19, 2020 2:44 pm

DRBill wrote:
Wed. Feb. 19, 2020 2:13 pm
The guy who delivers our coal said Superior has two deep mines and also gets coal from Darryl Koperna. Lykens? I think Dirty Jobs was filmed at the RS&W mine, which is a drift mine. Still in business, or was it taken over by R&R? Who now has what used to be Summit coal?
I think you're right with that name. I was thinking Rothermel & Rothermel because Randy Rothermel was in dirty jobs and is or was part owner. I should have researched more before assuming. If I find different I will let you know.

 
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Post by gaw » Wed. Feb. 19, 2020 3:05 pm

I checked the pdf linked above and found it is indeed R S & W. Woods Drift located on Gordon Nagle Trail.

Thanks again Bill for pointing that out.

As for the other question you ask about Your coal from Superior; I have no idea :?

 
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Post by 11ultra103 » Wed. Feb. 19, 2020 9:14 pm

DRBill wrote:
Wed. Feb. 19, 2020 2:13 pm
The guy who delivers our coal said Superior has two deep mines and also gets coal from Darryl Koperna. Lykens? I think Dirty Jobs was filmed at the RS&W mine, which is a drift mine. Still in business, or was it taken over by R&R? Who now has what used to be Summit coal?

As an aside, I posted this before and got no reply. We get our coal from Superior and, for many years, it was straight nut coal. This year, we are getting at least 25% that is stove coal or even bigger as in 2" X 3 1/2" smaller and greater diameter. Getting to the bottom of the bin now and finding a lot of stuff that is smaller than pea coal. Looks like rice, but I've never really seen what true rice coal looks like. Having bridging for the first time. Could that be due to the stove and bigger coal?

Bill
I'm having the same issue with the last bags of Blaschak nut I bought. Half of it is stove size. I'm not having any bridging, but someone just told me the stove will bridge. I'd think the smaller sizes would bridge vs the larger coal. Smaller is less air flow. Idk what the science is on it

 
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Post by hank2 » Thu. Feb. 20, 2020 12:12 am

Does anyone know if Mazaika is still operating? Never been there, but I believe they are North of Tamaqua, near Gale mining. Or are they a breaker operation without mining.

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