ISSUE DATE: 05/22/08 

PROGRAM INFORMATION BULLETIN NO. P09-08 

FROM: KEVIN G. STRICKLIN

 Administrator for 

 Coal Mine Safety and Health 

 

 LINDA F. ZEILER

 Acting Director of Technical Support 

SUBJECT: Methane Ignitions at Surface Highwall Auger Operations 

Who needs this information?

Surface highwall auger operators, miners’ representatives, independent contractors, 

state mining agencies, Coal Mine Safety and Health enforcement personnel 

and other interested parties need this information. 

What is the purpose of this Program Information Bulletin (PIB)?

The purpose of this PIB is to inform the mining industry that using inert gas will 

significantly reduce the likelihood of methane ignitions at surface highwall auger 

operations. 

Information

Auger mining has evolved from a secondary production method to become an integral 

part of many surface mining operations throughout the United States and the world. 

Along with this increase of auger operations comes an increased risk of methane 

ignitions. 

Research conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

(NIOSH) in 1992 by Jon C. Volkwein and James P. Ulery, Unites States Department of 

the Interior, Bureau of Mines, at an auger operation in Kentucky, has shown that 

methane gas liberated during mining migrates to the face, creating a larger volume of 

methane gas than would otherwise be expected. Using the same principles that cause 

the methane gas to migrate to the face, research has shown that inert gas introduced at 

the collar of the auger hole can render the entire hole inert, promoting safe mining 

conditions. 
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Adequate volumes and concentrations of inert gas may be produced by a nitrogen 

generator, a diesel fuel burner, the exhaust from a gasoline engine or a combination of 

exhaust from diesel and gasoline engines. However, the exhaust from a gasoline engine 

may not produce enough volume for larger size auger holes. The volume of the inert 

gas injected should exceed the volume of the coal being extracted from the auger hole. 

The burner or engines should be placed a sufficient distance from the collared hole to 

prevent them from becoming an ignition source should an explosive concentration of 

methane be liberated from the collared hole. 

Inert gas may be introduced into the hole via a stub pipe positioned above the augers 

after the lead auger has been inserted. Alternatively, if augers are not reduced in size to 

allow placement of a stub pipe, a shroud may be used with similar results. The shroud 

surrounds the collar of the hole and inert gas is injected through a piping method to the 

collar of the hole. These measures effectively create a volume of inert gas at the collar of 

the hole that is in excess of the volume of coal that is being removed such that, as air is 

needed to replace the coal, only inert gas is drawn into the hole. 

If the distance between auger holes is inadequate to ensure that the current hole will not 

intersect the previous hole or if the previous hole has been intersected, the previous 

hole should be filled with inert gases and noncombustible material pushed to seal/close 

the hole before mining the next hole. 

Additional safety precautions include: installing water sprays on the inerting pipe to 

cool the system, installing oxygen sensors to monitor the exhaust and installing a 

methane detector with an audible and visual alarm and the sensor located near the 

collar of the auger hole. 

The method described above of replacing oxygen with an inert gas, consisting primarily 

of nitrogen and carbon dioxide, represents the best and most cost-effective approach to 

date to help prevent methane ignitions at surface auger-type mining systems. 

What is the background for this PIB?

MSHA has investigated numerous incidents resulting from methane ignitions at surface 

highwall auger operations. 

What is MSHA’s authority for this PIB?

The Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 as amended, 30 U.S.C. § 801 et. seq.

Is this PIB on the Internet?

This PIB may be viewed on the internet by accessing MSHA’s home page 

(http://www.msha.gov), choosing “Compliance Info” and “Program Information 

Bulletins.” 
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Who are the MSHA contact persons for this PIB?

Coal Mine Safety and Health 

John Arrington, (202) 693-9549 

E-mail: arrington.john@dol.gov

Technical Support, Pittsburgh Safety and Health Technology Center 

Mark E. Schroeder, (412) 386-6952 

E-mail: schroeder.mark@dol.gov

Who will receive this PIB?

MSHA PPM holders 

Surface Mine Operators-Coal 

Miners’ Representatives-Coal 

Independent Contractors