Village Coal Mine Research Articles

Reform and development of coal mine safety in China: An analysis from government supervision, technical equipment, and miner education

Coal mine safety management has been one of the most successful public governance cases in China in the last 20 years. This paper systematically analyzes the reform measures and experience effects of the Chinese government in coal mine safety governance. It does so from three aspects: government supervision, technical equipment, and miner training. The results show that the number of coal mine accidents in China has fluctuated greatly, which can be divided into five stages. Small and medium-sized coal mines, dominated by township and village coal mines, are the key targets of coal mine safety management in China. Two policies —"shutting down small coal mines” and “integrating resources"—have strengthened the government's safety management of small coal mines. Secondly, the establishment of the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety has solved the supervision conflict caused by the multiple identities of agents and represents a turning point in China's coal mine safety management. Third, coal mine mechanization has a significant negative correlation with the number of accidental deaths and is a crucial measure for improving the intrinsic safety of coal mines. Fourth, the improvement of miners' overall education level has an obvious effect on enhancing coal mine safety. Following long-term safety education and skills training, the number of unsafe actions caused by knowledge deficits and cognitive errors gradually fell. More accidents are caused by the coal mine management giving wrong orders and illegal commands. Finally, this paper discusses the potential deficiencies of coal mine safety management in China at present, and makes some policy suggestions.

Numerical analysis of natural gas pressure during coal and gas outbursts

AbstractAny disturbance in the ventilation system of a mine during a coal and gas outburst can lead to secondary disasters. This is because, on the one hand, the expansion power of the outburst source makes the airflow in the ventilation system countercurrent, causing the gas in this system to exceed the allowable limit. On the other hand, the airflow density changes because of the outburst and the consequent airflow mixing in the mine roadway, thereby changing the natural wind pressure. From this, the concept of natural gas wind pressure is proposed, and a calculation method for this pressure in a 3D model mine ventilation system is derived. For the “11.10” major coal and gas outburst that occurred in Shizhuang Coal Mine in Qujing, Yunnan Province, the entire process of the counter flow and gas dispersion flow in the main and auxiliary shafts is analyzed using the TF1M 3D simulation program, including the dynamic change in the natural wind pressure in the mine in each stage. The simulation shows that during the gas outburst period, the natural gas pressure of the countercurrent circuit is greater than that of the main fan. Between 140 s and 225 s following the outburst, the natural wind pressure once overcomes the fan pressure and reverses the airflow in the 1824 transport roadway, and the gas is withdrawn from the 1727 service point. Evidently, the natural pressure of the gas produced by the outburst affects the mine ventilation system. In the event of a coal and gas outburst in a private village coal mine, if the natural gas wind pressure can be reasonably utilized and the main fan stopped or the entire mine reversed in time, casualties may be minimized. Scholars studying coal and gas outburst mines should pay attention to mine airflow disorder due to the varying natural gas wind pressure when an outburst occurs and perform simulation drills of the outburst beforehand. Thus, a scientific emergency management plan for mine disaster prevention and reduction can be formulated.

Regulatory regime on coal Mine Safety in China and Australia: Comparative analysis and overall findings

China and Australia are the world's largest coal producers and exporters respectively. Both countries have developed the separate regulatory regime to regulate their coal mine safety. But Australia is far ahead of China in terms of coal mine safety. It appears that there remains significant scope for improvement on China's separate regulatory regime. This article explores the similarities and differences between the regulatory regimes of China and Australia, and introduces a slice of the arguments used to explain the distinct gap in mine safety. The first and foremost, the mining Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) legislation in Australia is based upon duty of care, risk management principles and workforce representation, while in China the mining OHS legislation could be characterized as being uniformly prescriptive. Secondly, the regulatory agencies in China, namely the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety (SACMS) and local regulation department of coal mine safety possess a multiple of distinctive problems. Thirdly, coal mines in China are divided into the state-owned coal mines (SOCMs) and township and village coal mines (TVCMs) which differ quite widely, including the mine ownership, mine objectives, and coal pricing. In addition the mine workers are powerless in the matter of coal mine safety regulation.

Analysis of embedded non-safety regulation games in China's two types of coal mines through safety performance disparity, 1980–2014

China has an appalling record of fatalities in its coal mining industry. Moreover, the fatalities observed in township and village coal mines (TVCMs) is much more terrible than that in state-owned coal mines (SOCMs). The safety performance of coal mines is influenced not solely by governmental safety regulation, but by their embedded non-safety regulation games with their internal and external related industries. Therefore, to better understand the safety performances disparity in SOCMs and TVCMs, an embedded non-safety regulation game analysis of the two types of mines is introduced. The paper traces China's safety records of SOCMs and TVCMs, and then analyzes their embedded non-safety regulation games respectively. The result shows that the SOCMs are mainly embedded into non-safety regulation games with the national electric power enterprises, railway sectors, and coal transportation and marketing enterprises; and the TVCMs are mainly embedded into non-safety regulation games with some local government officials and related groups (e.g. local gangdom and journalists). Moreover, in the above embedded games, the SOCMs and TVCMs are often placed in a weaker bargaining position. Besides, the SOCMs and TVCMs also play internal games on coal output and safety. Overall, the SOCMs and TVCMs are embedded into a plurality of different non-safety regulation games which, at least in part, affect their safety investment decisions differently and lead to safety performance disparity eventually.

Research and Design of Pre-Warning System for Coal and Gas Outburst Based on Data Mining

Coal and gas outburst is one of the most important natural disasters in our country. Thus pre-warning has the great significance to production safety for coal mine. In view of the facts of current pre-warning technologies, such as single pre-warning indicators, poor performance under interference and low real-time capability, some new pre-warning models are presented. The models include G line, moving average line and so on. Based on data mining theory, the pre-warning system works on the time series of gas emission concentration (which is called G series), and the pre-warning system for outburst is designed as well. 4.19 coal and gas outburst in Dashu Village Coal Mine of Hebei Fengfeng Coal Mining Group is studied based on pre-warning system. And the result is in accord with accident investigation. The analysis shows that the pre-warning system can mine the outburst developing process information of coal-rock dynamical system from the time series of gas concentration and realize outburst accidents pre-warning.

Parameter Optimization and Numerical Analysis of the Special Soft Coal Seam Roadway with Large Inclination Dip

Mechanized mining of Longwall top coal caving mining method was used in 1201 work face of thick soft coal seam in Du Jiacun Mine. The face is back to the wind drift along the seam floor excavation, transport drift along the seam roof boring the two crossheading basic fullcoal roadway, due to the relatively soft coal body, joints fractured, coal strength is low, and the coal-rock inclination, roadway section, the weakness of the surrounding rock rock, resulting in the excavation and support difficulties. This chapter based on numerical computation FLAC3D large-scale numerical analysis software, on the inclination special soft coal seam using a different roadway, support method, numerical simulation analysis of the support parameters, the contrast in different roadway support system support parameters, the deformation of surrounding rock displacement, stress distribution, the distribution of plastic zone, the big dip is extremely soft for Du Village coal mine mining Gateway support programs, and through on-site ground pressure observation of program verification.

Application Research on Concrete Filled Steel Tube Supports Supporting Technology in Stress Concentration Roadway

Part of the east wing belt roadway in -450 level east, NO.1 mining area, Dashu village coal mine, Jizhong Energy Fengfeng Group was under the 172102 working face’s stop mining coal pillar. The phenomenon of the stress concentration was obvious, the pressure of the roadway was large and the surrounding rock damaged severely. Concrete filled steel tube supports were used in stress concentration region. The supports type was φ194×8mm, and distance between supports was 800mm. They were of rapid construction speed, better supporting effect. The numerical simulation results also showed that the concrete filled steel tube supports can reduce deformation of the roadway surrounding rock in stress concentration region effectively.

Status and future tasks of coal mining safety in China

In general, contexts of coal mining safety involve technology, administration and socioeconomic environment as well. This paper presents statistical analysis of China coal mine accidents in recent years and analyzes the reasons causing coal mining high risk from technical and socioeconomic viewpoints. Social and economic reform has been unleashing social, economical factors that are driving a fundamental transformation of new workplace safety problems and making China coal mining safety take on Chinese features. Compared with major state-owned and local state-owned coalmines, township and village coalmines are most dangerous coal mines with highest occupational risks. The incidence and death toll of ceiling accidents are higher than those of accidents such as gas, machinery, electricity, transportation, flood, and fire. New organizational risks appeared with rapid development of state-owned coal mines’ reorganization. Low skilled labors restrict both technical renovation and safety management. The Government has adopted a systematic arrangement to improve coal mining safety such as closing the township and village coalmines that cannot meet the standard of safety, reinforcing the supervision over coal mining safety, strengthening technological renovation and enhancing work safety input.

Energy Production and Social Marginalisation in China

The exploitation and production of primary energy resources and the supply of this energy is critical for China's economic development. Despite the obvious economic benefit to the nation, this energy production has had significant negative socio-economic impacts on certain groups of people at local and national scales. This paper documents three cases of energy production in China and demonstrates that, in each case, marginalisation of social groups has either been created or has been enhanced. These cases are the Three Gorges Dam, the Yumen oilfield, and township and village coal mines. The causes of this marginalisation have their roots in the structures, processes and approaches taken in the making and implementation of national policy in China, and are compounded by poor regulation and monitoring, poor civil rights, and the tension between central and local governments. The government which came to power in 2003 recognised the extent and importance of these social challenges relating to energy production, and has started to take steps to address them.

04/02646 Boron isotope composition of coals: a potential tracer of organic contaminated fluids: Williams, L. B. and Hervig, R. L. Applied Geochemistry, 2004, 19, (10),1625–1636

China has an appalling record of fatalities in its coal mining industry. Moreover, the fatalities observed in township and village coal mines (TVCMs) is much more terrible than that in state-owned coal mines (SOCMs). The safety performance of coal mines is influenced not solely by governmental safety regulation, but by their embedded non-safety regulation games with their internal and external related industries. Therefore, to better understand the safety performances disparity in SOCMs and TVCMs, an embedded non-safety regulation game analysis of the two types of mines is introduced. The paper traces China's safety records of SOCMs and TVCMs, and then analyzes their embedded non-safety regulation games respectively. The result shows that the SOCMs are mainly embedded into non-safety regulation games with the national electric power enterprises, railway sectors, and coal transportation and marketing enterprises; and the TVCMs are mainly embedded into non-safety regulation games with some local government officials and related groups (e.g. local gangdom and journalists). Moreover, in the above embedded games, the SOCMs and TVCMs are often placed in a weaker bargaining position. Besides, the SOCMs and TVCMs also play internal games on coal output and safety. Overall, the SOCMs and TVCMs are embedded into a plurality of different non-safety regulation games which, at least in part, affect their safety investment decisions differently and lead to safety performance disparity eventually.

Geochemical research of the impact of Se–Cu–Mo–V-bearing coal layers on the environment in Pingli County, Shaanxi Province, China

This paper presents a geochemical study on the impact of Se–Cu–Mo–V-bearing coal layers on the environment in Pingli County, Shaanxi Province, China. Analysed samples for environmental geochemical study (rock, soil and edible plant) were collected from the abandoned Dragon Village coal mine on the northern bank of the Pingli River, and the Shanliya coal mine area still in exploitation. Experiments on coal combustion were made in order to determine the amount of Se released from coal burned by local inhabitants. There are three main ways by which coal beds enhance Se, Cu, Mo, and V in the environment in the study area. First of all, supergene geological processes involving soils derived from the Se-bearing rocks and the weathering of coal are the main control on the redistribution of Se, Mo, and other trace elements in Pingli County. Coal seams in the Shanliya contain as much as 48 μg g −1 Se, 452 μg g −1 Mo, and 335 μg g −1 Cu, whereas the soil has 0.85–7.10 μg g −1 Se, 46–227 μg g −1 Cu, and 8–29 μg g −1 Mo. Selenium is enriched in the weathering crust of coal beds with values of 88.4 μg g −1 Se in a calcareous sinter from the top of the weathering zone. Therefore, edible plants possible may accumulate Se, Zn, Cu, and Mo, for instance, with value above 20 μg g −1 Cu from sesame and peanut growing in the area. Second, coal beds in the Dragon Village coal mine contain 96 μg g −1 Se while the Se concentration of soils is high, ranging from 27 to 29.5 μg g −1 Se. As a result, some plants have high Se contents (0.08–28 μg g −1 Se). Variations in Se and Mo contents of the same plant species are due to large-scale geographical variations in environmental Se and Mo of soils and rocks. Finally, it is proposed that most of Se in the coal is released into atmosphere after combustion. The percentage of Se released from coal combustion containing 52.8–53 μg g −1 Se from the Shanliya mine is 78% on average, whereas that from the coal containing 73–85 μg g −1 Se from Dragon Village is 98%. Whenever it rains, the Se released in the atmosphere could recycle back to soils and plants on the ground.

The regulation of China’s township and village coal mines: a study of complexity and ineffectiveness

An appropriate system of laws and regulations and a suitable institutional structure for administration are important requirements for the effective management of small-scale mines. Over the last twenty years, township and village coal mines in China have made a large contribution to the country’s supply of energy. Yet at the same time they have had substantial negative impacts, such as wastage of coal resources, a high casualty rate amongst miners, and a wide range of environmental damage. Two reasons for the magnitude of these externalities are the highly complex nature of the institutional structure for regulating small-scale coal mines, and the excessive and incoherent burden of applicable laws and regulations.

A framework for policy formulation for small‐scale mines: the case of coal in China

The effective management of small‐scale mines is one of the major challenges for governments in the mining sector. Small‐scale mining may bring tangible, short‐term benefits to the communities involved. However, these benefits are frequently outweighed by the costs incurred in terms of illness, injury, pollution, waste of natural resources and market distortions. Governments, international agencies and advisers are generally able to draw up lists of actions which are required to regulate and manage small‐scale mines more effectively, but turning plans into sustained action has proved more difficult. Two aspects of policy implementation are crucial to success: the alignment of interests, and the attitude and effectiveness of government. Using a case study of township and village coal mines in China, this article develops an approach to analysing these issues that could assist regional policy makers and advisers in formulating policy, in identifying key obstacles to policy implementation, and in identifying particular parties which need to be infiuenced or educated in order for the policy to succeed.