1. Institute for Mine Mapping, Archival Procedures and Safety (IMAPS) at IUP – Objectives and Benefits
Presenter: John Benhart, Jr.
Chair, Dept. of Geography & Regional Planning
IUP Participating Units: Computer Science, Geography & Regional Planning; Geosciences; IUP Libraries; Mathematics; Safety Sciences
Partners: Senator Arlen Spector; US Dept. of Interior, Office of Surface Mining (OSM); Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (PADEP); CONSOL Coal, Inc.; Rosebud Mining, Inc.

2. Why is This Project Important?
It will improve the safety of all future coal mining in Pennsylvania…
by decreasing the risk that coal operators will encounter unknown abandoned mines
by providing needed information about the accurate location of abandoned mines (maps) that will be part of improved safety training and emergency response
It will improve services to the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Mine Subsidence Insurance programs
Community Planning
It will provide training and experience in high-growth, high-demand fields for Pennsylvania students
Geospatial Technology has been identified by the federal government as a “high-growth industry” (as of 2004)
It will contribute to economic development in the Commonwealth
Information useful for remining, reclamation and new mining; as well as other types of development

3. Large Format Mine Maps
years old, mostly canvas, up to feet long
Contain large amounts of very important information, but….
Difficult to preserve, store, and access
The “missing link” of abandoned mine land information
At least 1,300 in Pennsylvania
Around 200 in IUP’s R&P collection

4. Digitization of Large Format Mine Maps
Requires a very large scanner
IUP Cruze device: 58” x 88”
Multiple passes to record…even with a large scanner
Must be processed back into one digital map
Stitching of scan tiles back together

5. Cruze Scanner,
Stapleton Library -
Indiana University of Pennsylvania

8. Accurately Locating Large Format Mine Maps
Where are abandoned mines located?
How could we find out?
Georeferencing digital mine maps
The National Map/PAMAP standard
Quantitative evaluation of locational accuracy
How geographically “close” are we to the real location of abandoned mines?

9. Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal Company Map – Circa 1930s
13th & Phila. Sts.
ft. E
ft. N
6th & Phila. Sts.
ft. E
ft. N
6th & Maple Sts.
ft. E
ft. N
Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal Company Map – Circa 1930s

10. PAMAP Imagery, Indiana, PA 2006
13th & Phila. Sts.
ft. E
ft. N
6th & Phila. Sts.
ft. E
ft. N
6th & Maple Sts.
ft. E
ft. N
PAMAP Imagery, Indiana, PA 2006

12. Result: A Web-Accessible, Searchable, Geographically-referenced Database of Mine Maps
Mine Safety, Emergency response Implications (Ex. Quecreek)
Mine permitting, subsidence insurance programs
Cooperative development with PADEP
Improvement of mine safety regimes
Utility to the private sector (coal, gas)
New mining, remining, gas wells

13. Benefits of the Institute for Mine Mapping, Archival Procedures, and Safety (IMAPS) at IUP
Almost real-time accessibility to a web-based, searchable, locationally-accurate mine map database
Improved mine safety and permitting processes
An invaluable resource for emergency response
In-demand technology education for Pennsylvania students (Geospatial/GIS)
A beneficial and valuable resource to the private sector
A national model for dealing with mine maps
Myriad future applications (3-D, modeling)

14. IMAPS Funding Sources – To Date, Jan. 2008
US OSM, PADEP, IUP (including match) = $148,000
PADEP Bureau Mine Safety = $124,690
US Congress (Sen. Spector) = $100,000
Consol Energy/Rosebud Mining = $55,277
PA Dept. of Community & Econ. Dev. = $26,000
IUP Additional Match = $56,778
PA Geological Survey = $7,200
TOTAL = $510,745