Man dies in mine collapse

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I love the way they bolt the roof on in those mines, and they're soo big and wide it's like driving down a highway when your getting around... bit of tough luck being in the wrong place at the wrong time for those blokes, but when you see behind the hanging wall you can shudder with disbelief at what those concrete roofs are really holding up. There's always a risk factor, and that's why working underground pays so much. My heart goes out to them and theirs... be a lot of worry going on.
 
Coal mine Silver, no concrete roof mostly in them apart from possibly in the drift (entrance tunnel) - just roof + rib (side walls) bolts of various types, mesh & straps.
The roads aren't big & wide like hard rock either. About 5m wide x 3m high mostly.
Re-opening a closed mine is very high risk work due to a number of factors.
If they were re-supporting roof over the conveyor, as the media reported, they may have even been using hand-held bolters. At best they might have gotten a small pneumatic track driven drill or underground loader with bolting attachment in with some belt structure removal - very different to the hard rock drill rigs.
Usual practice would be to start re-supporting from out past the identified bad section & work your way in under the re-supported roof as you go into it.
The man who was killed was a very experienced Mining Supervisor who has worked underground coal mines in at least NSW & Qld that I know of. Knew of him from his time in NSW. Nice bloke & very sad for his family + many friends. Tragic news.
They are paid well because of the risks (including long term health) & conditions but no amount of money is worth that outcome.
 

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