what the appalachian moutains do
Friday roundup, Feb. 17, 2012 « Coal Tattoo
Paramilitary policemen guard a tunnel entrance at the Hongfa Coal Mine where 15 miners were killed and three others hurt when the mine carriages they were in plunged into a tunnel, in Nanyang township, Leiyang city, in southern China's Hunan province, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012. (AP Photo)
As the photo above indicates, there's more bad news from China. Here's the China Daily report:
Fifteen miners were killed, and three others injured, following a mine-car crash Thursday morning in central China's Hunan province, local authorities said.
The accident happened around 12:30 am in Nanyang township of Leiyang city, after six cars of an eight-car carriage carrying 18 miners unhooked and plunged into a tunnel rapidly in the Hongfa Coal Mine, according to the Hunan Provincial Administration of Coal Mine Safety.
The 15 were killed instantly in the crash, while the other three were injured after jumping or being thrown out of the car, according to rescuers.
Interestingly:
An initial probe found that the miners had violated safety rules by riding in the mine cars, which are designed to transport coal only. Police have taken custody of the coal mine's managers.
Interesting coverage this week about coal-fired power plants and Appalachian coal markets, including this analysis from my buddy Ken Silverstein, writing for Forbes.com:
While Obama's team thinks old coal should be tossed out or cleaned up, it is also donning shale gas the new fuel champion. But if you think the Environmental Protection Agency is the primary source of coal's troubles, think again. Abundant shale gas supplies are one reason. But so too are diminishing reserves, all of which take more labor and more money to dig out.
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