Anthracite Coal . . . your alternative energy source


a - cd - fg - jk - no - rs - uv - z
THE COMMENTATOR GLOSSARY OF
ANTHRACITE MINING TERMS

A - B - C

A

AFTERDAMP:
The mixture of gases which remain in a mine after a mine fire.

AIR BRIDE:
A bridge which carries one air course over another.

AIR COMPARTMENT:
An air-tight compartment of a shaft used as an air course.

AIR COURSE:
A passage through which air is circulated.

AIR SPLIT:
The division of the main current of air in a mine into two or more parts.

AIRWAY:
A passage through which air is circulated.

ALL OVER:
End of a shift.


ANEMOMETER:
An instrument for measuring the velocity of the ventilating current in mines.

APRON:
A hinged extension of a loading chute.

ANTICLINE:
A fold n the strata in which the opposite sides dip away from each other--like the two legs of the letter "A".

back to top

 

B

BALANCE PLANE:
An incline on which gravity is utilized to make loaded cars pull up empty ones.

BANK:
A large heap of slate and rock on the surface

BAR:
A length of steel which may be grasped in the hand and used as a lever or pry.

BARRIER PILLAR:
A solid block of coal left between two mines or collieries for security against accidents or floods.

BASIN:
The lowest part of a mine or area of coal lands.

BED:
A stratum of coal; also referred to as a vein or seam.

BELL:
Overhanging rock or slate in a bell-like form insecurely attached to adjacent strata.

BENCH:
A band of coal forming a part of the bed.

BLACK DAMP:
A mine gas largely carbon dioxide which is dangerous to life by causing suffocation; an oxygen deficiency.

BLACKHEAD:
Local name given to bank of carbonaceous refuse which occurs at or near the top of a coal seam.

BLAST:
To dislodge coal or rock by the use of explosives.

BLASTING BARREL:
A tube, end of which is inserted into black powder cartridge through which detonation is made by fuse or squib.

BONE OR BONEY:
Slatey coal or rock which high carbon content.

BLOWN-OUT SHOT:
A blast which discharges its energy through the drill hole rather than upon its expected burden.

BOTTOM:
1, the floor of a coal bed. 2, the area around the bottom of a shaft or slope.

BRANCH:
1, a track switch. 2, a section of track used for storing mine cars. Back branch. A track switch installed to take car in a direction opposite to loaded traffic. Dead Branch. Dead end track used to store cars. Passing Branch. A section of track which is connected to a main line of track by switches so that cars may be taken past other cars.

BRATTICE:
An artificial barrier erected underground to guide air current.

BRATTICE CLOTH:
A special kind of cloth used in building brattices.

BREAKER:
The building in which anthracite is sized and cleaned before shipment to market.

BREAST:
The face of the miner's working place.

BREAST-AUGER:
An auger which is forced forward by pressing against miner's body.

BRUSHING:
Removal of roof rock to afford additional height.

BUGGY:
A mine car of very small dimensions.

BUNTONS:
Heavy timbers placed horizontally at intervals in a shaft.

BUG DUST:
The cutting from a coal machine.

BURDEN:
The area of coal or rock which is expected to be removed by a blast.

back to top

 

C

CAGE:
The platform upon which cars, men or material are lowered and raised in a shaft.

CAP PIECE:
A flat piece of wood inserted between a prop and the roof to increase the area supported by the prop.

CARRIAGE:
The platform upon which cars, men or material are lowered and raised in a shaft.

CASING:
Tubing inserted into a borehole to keep out water or to protect the sides of the hole from collapse.

CAVE OR CAVE-IN:
Falling in of the roof strata, sometimes extending to the surface.

CAVE HOLE:
A depression in the surface caused by an underground cave.

CHAIN PILLAR:
A pillar left between a gangway and an airway.

CHAMBER:
The miner's working place.

CHARGE:
The amount of explosives used in one blast.

CHARGEMAN:
A man designated by the miner to supervise the working place in the miner's absence.

CHECK:
1, small metal bag. 2, to discharge an employee.

CHECK DOCKING BOSS:
A man selected by the miners ot check the work of the docking boss.

CHECK WEIGHMAN:
A man selected by the miners to check the weights as tabulated by the mine weighmaster.

CHUTE:
1, a narrow incline passage in a mine down which the coal is pushed or slides to the mine car. 2, a trough operated mechanically in loading coal underground. 3, a metal trough in a breaker along which the coal slides by gravity.

COAL MEASURES:
The strata of coal with the accompanying rocks.

COG:
An artificial support for the roof formed by placing timbers crossways in the form of a square, and fillng up the interior with rock. Note: A cog in which the interior is left unfilled is termed a "dry" cog.

COLLAR:
The cross-piece of a timber set.

COLLIERY:
The mine or mines and surface plant constituting a complete operation.

COMPANY MAN:
A man who works for the mining company by the hour or day as distinguished from piece workers such as contract miners.

CONE SYSTEM:
The method of preparation whereby impurities are separated from anthracite in a metallic cone containing a mixture of sand and water with a specific gravity higher than that of anthracite and lower than that of the impurities. The anthracite floats. The impurities sink.

CONGLOMERATE:
An aggregate of pebbles cemented together into a coherent rock found beneath the coal measures.

CONVEYOR:
Any mechanical contrivance, such as endless chains or belts, for carrying material.

CORE DRILL:
A diamond or other type of hollow drill for securing cores of the strata penetrated.

CORES:
Cylindrical pieces of rock or coal produced by the diamond drill system of boring.

COUNTER:
A haulageway driven from a main gangway to cut across chambers in order to facilitate transportation.

COUPLING:
A link or chain for connecting cars.

COURSE:
1, to conduct ventilation through a mine. 2, a passage driven in a mine to conduct air or water. 3, the direction of a survey line.

CREEP:
The slow sagging or upheaval of floor or roof.

CROP COAL:
The portion of a cola bed disclosed at the surface.

CROSSBAR:
The cross-piece of a timber set.

CRIBBING:
Close timbering. Material laid in crosslayers to keep waste material from sliding.

CROSSCUT:
A narrow passageway driven from one working place to another to facilitate ventilation.

CRUSH:
A general settlement of the mine roof and overhead strata due to the failure of the pillars.

CULM:
Small particles of anthracite waste.

CULM BANK OR CULM DUMP:
The deposit on the surface of culm usually kept separate from deposits of larger pieces of slate and rock.

CURTAIN:
A sheet of canvas or brattice cloth used to control and deflect an air current.

back to top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2005 READING ANTHRACITE COMPANY
200 Mahantonogo Street • PO Box 1200 • Pottsville PA 17901
Phone: (570) 622-5150 • Fax: (570) 622-2612