Keynote Address 14 th US/North American Mine Ventilation Symposium Christopher J Pritchard MS PE Mining Engineer Team Leader (Acting) Ventilation Group Fires & Explosions Branch NIOSH – OMSHR Spokane, WA

Introduction Ventilation Experiences MSHA Graduate School Tg Soda Ash FMC NIOSH

MSHA MSHA – Coal Mine Safety and Health District 9 Denver, CO MSHA Denver Tech Support Ventilation Group: Rich Kline, Bill Bruce, Warren Andrews, Jerry Fuller, Ralph Foster Ventilation Surveys, Ventilation Plan approvals, Mine Inspector training, Ground Support, Special Investigations

Graduate School Michigan Technological University Professor Rudolf E Greuer Developed MFire program with USBM Thesis: Mine Ventilation and Emergency Planning for the Transition between Surface and Underground Mining at the Republic Iron Ore Mine Temperature pre-calculations Natural ventilation Fire simulation - MFire Escape planning Capital costs analysis

Texasgulf / Tg Soda Ash / FMC Granger Mine Ventilation, Mine Planning, Production Engineer, Engineering Supervisor 1.2M TPY trona mine in southwest Wyoming 2 Shafts, 1 Main cfm Exhausting Room and pillar, shortwall mining, continuous miner, diesel haulage

Shortwall Mining System

Advancing Tailgate Ventilation Design

Section Air Recirculation Detail With Andy Cecala, Bob Timko, USBM Pittsburgh

Section Recirculation Tests

District Recirculation

Dust Settling Rates/Reduction in a Recirculation System With Bhaskar and Xu University of Utah

Shop Air Reuse Instead of Sending Directly to Return Return Shaft Intake Shaft With Linn Laage, Bill Pomroy, USBM Minneapolis

Modified Submain Development Results: 32 stoppings eliminated in 5000 ft development Ventilation gain – 30,000 cfm Operational cost savings - over $15,000 Note: Diesel haulage allowed longer belt moves. Stubs mined for roof control.

Styrofoam Stoppings Introduced to Combat Damage from Poor Ground Ventilation Engineer’s Motto: You can fix almost everything with polyurethane!

Intake/Return Isolation

FMC Mine Ventilation Coordinator, Rock Mechanics, Project Manager 4.5M TPY, 1.5M cfm, opened 1947 Longwall / Borer Miner Operation 8 shafts, 3 Main Fans (Blowing)

Plan, Sink 9 Shaft, Move Longwall to New Block New Return 9 shaft Old LW Block New LW Block 2004 Future Block 2007 Intake Shaft Old Return Shaft

Ventilation issues: Mine Closure for Solution Mining - Tg Soda Ash, 2006 Bulkhead shaft bottom to protect pillars below plant for solution mining Maintain mine ventilation during process Diesel Equipment/CH4 Short circuit main fan air on surface and at shaft bottom – reduce pressure, mine flow 150k to 60k cfm Sealing Sequence – East, South (1BH), North (3BH) Return Intake Main Return Bulkheads

Move to NIOSH Spokane 2008 Thanks to Jurgen Brune, Floyd Varley Research Metal Non-metal ventilation and mine fires Validate Ventgraph Program using 1972 USBM Sunshine Mine Fire Data

Booster Fan/Recirculation Study at Large Room and Pillar Longwall Trona Mine (Martikainen)

Test panel detail

District Recirculation Fire Simulation Boxes -Airflow m 3 /s Fan Airflow 17.8 m 3 /s, 38k cfm Smoke - RED Recirculation Fan Location Program – Ventgraph

Remember: Every day you make a difference in miner’s health, safety and quality of work environment.

Thank You! May 2 nd, 40 th Anniversary of Sunshine Fire Questions or Comments?