# Presentation: 119649

## Mine Map Archiving in Utah

## IMCC/MSHA Benchmarking Workshop

- Louisville, Kentucky
- October 15-16, 2003
- Wayne Western, Reclamation Specialist
- Utah Division of Oil and Gas and Mining

## Objectives

- Understand the history of mine mapping in Utah- accuracy and limitations
- Importance of mine maps
- Gathering, sharing and storing information

## To Understand Utah’s Program  -Must Understand Utah’s:

- Coal fields
- Coal mining history
- Coal industry
- Regulatory program

## Utah's Coal Reserves

- Economic cut off beds - greater than 4 feet in thickness/ under less than 3,000 feet of cover
- 4% of the State is underlain with coal reserves
- 80% of recoverable coal in three coalfields
- Wasatch and Book Cliffs fields developed
- Kaiparowits Plateau undeveloped -    transportation problems and environmental concerns

## Coalfields of West Compared to Utah

- 1/3 of nation’s coal produced in Wyoming
- 2.4% of nation’s coal produced in Utah
- Surface mines produce most western coal
- All active mines in Utah - underground
- 24% of the nation’s coal reserves - Montana
- 1% of nation’s coal reserves - Utah

## Western State’s Coal Production 2001 in Million Tons

| Rank | State | Production | % of U.S. Total |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Wyoming | 368.8 | 32.8% |
| 6 | Montana | 39.1 | 3.5% |
| 9 | Colorado | 33.3 | 3.0% |
| 12 | New Mexico | 29.6 | 2.6% |
| 13 | Utah | 27.0 | 2.4% |
| 16 | Arizona | 13.4 | 1.2% |

## Coal Production by Method Million Short Tons 2001

| State | Surface | Underground | Total |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Arizona | 12.961 | 0 | 12.961
 |
| Colorado | 9.431 | 22.958 | 32.389
 |
| Montana | 32.298 | 0 | 32.298 |
| New Mexico | 17.409 | 1.200 | 18.609 |
| Utah | 0.019 | 25.490 | 26.148
 |
| Wyoming | 350.780 | 1.024 | 351.805
 |

## Western Coal Reserves in Million Short Tons

| Rank | State | Underground | Surface | Total | % of U.S. |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Montana | 70,958 | 48,465
 | 119,423 | 23.91% |
| 3 | Wyoming | 42,501 | 23,257 | 65,758 | 13.17%
 |
| 8 | Colorado | 11,721 | 4,771 | 16,493 | 3.30%
 |
| 10 | New Mexico | 6,202 | 6,085 | 12,287 | 2.46% |
| 15 | Utah | 5,317 | 268 | 5,585 | 1.12% |
| 28 | Arizona | 102 | 0 | 102 | .02% |
| 31 | Idaho | 4 | 0 | 4 | .00%
 |

## Utah Coal Mining 1847-1905

- 1847  - Settlers arrive in Utah Territory
- 1852-1853 - Coal discovered near Cedar City used in iron industry
- 1854 - Reward for discovery of coal with in 40 mile of Salt Lake City
- Early 1860’s - Coalville field developed
- 1869 - Union Pacific monopolizes coal
- 1870’s - Settlers develop coal for local markets
- 1881-  D&RG enters Utah develops Wasatch and Book Cliff fields
- By1900 total production was 1 million tons

## Utah Coal Mining 1906 -1941

- Trust busting between 1906 and 1912 -coal companies independent of railroads
- Midsize independent coal mines
- WWI spurs coal development
- Production plateaus in 1920’s
- Depression cause fall in production/gradual recovery

## Utah Coal Mining 1942-1969

- WWII spurs increase in production
- Coal market stable during 1950’s
- Production falls in 1957 due to competition from natural gas and diesel
- Projected reserves - 200 years

## Utah Coal Mining 1970’s

- Environmental regulations and groups stop mining in the Kaiparowits Plateau
- SMCRA
- Small mining operations cease
- Coal production increases

## History of Coal Mining 1980-Present

- 1980 first unsuitable lands for mining
- Coal production increase in 1980’s then hits a plateau in the 1990’s,
- Wasatch and Book Cliff fields mature
- Grand Staircase-Escalante
- Mines become interdependent
- Dugout Canyon incident

## Dugout Canyon Mine – Mid 1950’s- 1998

- Knight-Ideal Mine operated mid 1950’s to late 1960’s
- 1995 Canyon Fuel begins exploration program
- Acquired mine map dated November 25, 1965 supposedly showed all workings
- Searched state and federal records no new maps
- Contacted previous employees of Knight-Ideal
- Permit granted 1998

## Dugout Canyon Mine Incident  July 29, 2002

- December 2001 rock slope from Rock Canyon to Gilson Seam began
- April 2002 mining begins in Gilson Seam
- No mining within 200 feet of abandoned works
- Water seeped from coal as mining progressed westward at first no concern
- Somorset, Pennsylvania

## Dugout Canyon Mine Incident -July 30, 2002

- Mine Mgr. contacts surveyor of Knight-Ideal mine - thought map was accurate
- Mine Mgr. visits BLM to recheck maps
- BLM staff finds another map tube
- Active workings within 20 feet of flooded mine works!!!!!
- 3:45 pm mine evacuation begins

## Dugout Mine Incident – August 2002

- Emergency drilling program to drain old works
- Workers saved
- $3,000,000 in equipment saved
- $700,000 in development saved

## Future of Mining in Utah

- New mines begin where old mines ended
- Need for mine maps increases
- Mine disaster could have major impacts on Utah economy

## Operator - Mine Maps

- Before 1869 coal mines were small, no maps
- Between 1870-1906 large railroad controlled mines that were mapped or small mines with no maps.
- 1906-mid 1970’s Large company and independents mines have maps
- Late 1970’s-Present all mines required to submit mine maps annually to DOGM

## History of Regulations 1891-1975

- 1891- Congress passes mine safety for territories (Utah included)
- 1910 - Bureau of Mine (BOM) Established
- 1941-BOM begins inspections
- 1973 - MESA
- 1975 Utah Abandoned mines program

## History of Regulations 1976-Present

- 1970’s – 2000 Utah Industrial Commission
- 1977 SMCRA  and MSHA
- 1979 Utah Coal Mining and Reclamation
- 1981 Utah Primacy
- 1980’s AML begins inventorying state for coal mines

## Regulatory Agencies – Mine Maps

- Before 1941 no maps
- 1941-1970’s Bureau of Mines – OSM
- 1970’s – Present State and Federal Agencies will have mine maps

## Other Sources of Mine Maps

- Museums and historical groups collect maps
- BLM collects maps
- Utah Geologic Survey collect maps 1970’s-1980’s
- Companies, Employees, Consultants

## Map Archive Status

- No agency has responsibility to archive mine
- No agency has authority to get maps
- UGS has maps indexed by township, range and section
- DOGM is starting informal program to collect maps.

## Future of Archiving

- Scan maps from all agencies
- Develop long term storage and retrieval system
- Have miners review maps

## Limitation

- Final mine map?
- Map accuracy
- Covering up mistakes
- Robbing Coal

## Conclusions

- Accurate maps from closed mines have prevented mine disasters in Utah.
- Need for old mine maps will increase.
- Limited resources, lack of any agency having direct responsibility or authority to get old maps requires government agencies and industry to find and preserve old maps.

## Slide 32