Coal: The Master Mines

[Mike]

If you haven't heard, Spike has a coal mining show going on. I know... who cares about coal... but it is still an interesting series to watch. You can view it here:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/229371/coal-the-master-mines

[miner49r]

This is great! Lookin forward to next week now! Sure shows what's behind the vehicle we drive and that tin can dinner was in. I've never been on hulu before - very impressive. Thanks!

[BlackHills]

Good show

Watched the First Episode yesterday and have to say I was impressed, Much better than the horrid "Gold Rush Alaska" Show, thanks for sharring it with us

[Joanne]

I watched it too. In reality shows, it's all about how they tell the story. It looks like they may have a pretty good show on their hands. Of course the whole reality genre is getting a bit old, so it's difficult to say if they'll be able to generate a large enough audience to keep the show going. As a mine enthusiast, I especially enjoyed watching the underground portions of the show. Only time will tell whether the show lasts.

It's been quite a while since I was on Hulu. I didn't realize that they had current shows available on there. When I was watching it the shows were mostly a couple of seasons old.

Thanks for pointing it out!
Joanne

[ExpUt]

Watching it now, loving it...

[Mike]

The DP really needs to work out some better lighting solutions for underground camera work like that.

[acidman1968]

Kind of an interesting show so far. I don't think I could work in that low-roofed condition - even though I'm really not claustrophobic. There's just something about having to be hunched over or crawling all the time.

[Mike]

Definitely a job for short men.

[lobster68w]

Watching that episode, I can say for certainty there is no way in hell I'd ever work in a coal mine! Wow.

It didn't look like they had an ventilation system either. I wonder what their lungs look like? Also, did anyone notice all the sparks created when they were cutting the coal? Me thinks one little bit of methane and *poof*. Those guys definitely earn their $$$.

[acidman1968]

MSHA Cites Cobalt Coal after watching "COAL" on TV...

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/MSHA-c....html?x=0&.v=1 <--- Link to Article...

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) -- The first episode of a reality show filmed in a southern West Virginia coal mine had real-world results: Federal inspectors who watched the Spike TV series have cited Cobalt Coal Corp. for activities they say endangered the miners.
In the debut of "Coal," a worker at the Westchester mine in McDowell County used the wrong tool -- a 12-inch pick hammer -- to pull down loose roof rock for a dramatic collapse that was caught on camera. The Mine Safety and Health Administration said the tool was too small for the job and put workers at risk of being struck by falling rock.
MSHA also cited Cobalt for moving the continuous mining machine when it wasn't cutting coal and allowing a worker to walk alongside, creating the potential for a crushing injury.

I wondered if they'd get a visit or fine for some of the things on the show.

Here's a few more fines by the State:

State records show inspectors also cited Cobalt and some individual workers for failing to wear the proper reflective clothing, which ensures a miner can be seen from all directions, and for failing to wear proper eye protection.


The state also cited Cobalt's miners for failing to wear their air packs, called self-contained self-rescuers, and for failing to have a cache of the devices within reach. The air packs produce oxygen through a chemical reaction and are designed to give miners enough time to escape from a contaminated atmosphere.


Both the state and federal violations resulted in safety meetings with the workers.

But it's not all bad for Cobalt...

Cobalt mines a highly valuable metallurgical coal used in steelmaking, but the seam is notoriously thin, forcing miners to work in a space just 42 inches high some 600 feet underground. The tight confines are dramatic but atypical: The U.S. industry is largely dominated by corporations with massive mines that often have hundreds of workers and mining machines larger than houses.


Crowder said reaction to the show has been overwhelming and "passionately positive."


"It's been phenomenal. I would never have imagined there would be such activity," he said.


That includes a surge in demand from coal buyers.