The Sukhodilska–Skhidna coal mine () is a large

underground coal mine Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground or from a mine. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extrac ...

located in Southeast

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

Luhansk Oblast Luhansk Oblast (; ), also referred to as Luhanshchyna (), is the easternmost Administrative divisions of Ukraine, oblast (province) of Ukraine. Its administrative center is the city of Luhansk. The oblast was established in 1938 and bore the n ...

. Sukhodilska–Skhidna coal mine represents one of the largest

coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other Chemical element, elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal i ...

reserves in Ukraine, having estimated reserves of 157.4 million tonnes. The annual coal production is around 712,000 tonnes.

Bituminous coal Bituminous coal, or black coal, is a type of coal containing a tar-like substance called bitumen or asphalt. Its coloration can be black or sometimes dark brown; often there are well-defined bands of bright and dull material within the coal seam, ...

is mined using

longwall mining Longwall mining is a form of underground coal mining where a long wall of coal is mined in a single slice (typically thick). The section of rock that is being mined, known as the longwall panel, is typically long, but can be up to long and wi ...

at depths between 785 and 1,028 m. The mine began operation in 1980.

July 2011 mining accident

Shortly before 2 a.m. on 29 July 2011 an explosion occurred underground in the mine. Initial reports indicated that at least 17 people were killed, and nine others were missing, but later all 26 were reported to have died.New Ukraine coal mine explosion as safety review launched
Platts.com, August 4, 2011 Investigators suspect the accident was caused by a powerful explosion of methane. Mykhailo Volynets, the head of the Independent Trade Union of Miners, called the Sukhodilska–Skhidna coal mine "one of the most dangerous in Ukraine" due to buildups of

methane Methane ( , ) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula (one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms). It is a group-14 hydride, the simplest alkane, and the main constituent of natural gas. The abundance of methane on Earth makes ...

and

coal dust Coal dust is a fine-powdered form of coal which is created by the crushing, grinding, or pulverizer, pulverization of coal rock. Because of the brittle nature of coal, coal dust can be created by mining, transporting, or mechanically handling it. ...

. The

President of Ukraine The president of Ukraine (, ) is the head of state of Ukraine. The president represents the nation in international relations, administers the foreign political activity of the state, conducts negotiations and concludes international treaties. ...

ordered the government to set up a commission to investigate the accident. Later that same day, Ukraine experienced a second fatal coal-mining accident when an elevator collapsed at the

Bazhanov coal mine The Bazhanov coal mine () is a large coal mine located in southeastern Ukraine in Donetsk Oblast, in the industrial city of Makiivka. Bazhanov mine represents one of the largest coal reserve in Ukraine having estimated reserves of 58.7 million ton ...

References

External links

Global Methane Initiative The Global Methane Initiative (GMI) is a voluntary, international partnership that brings together national governments, private sector entities, development banks, NGOs and other interested stakeholders in a collaborative effort to reduce metha ...

Mine Details and reports
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sukhodilska-Skhidna coal mine Suhodolskaya-Vostochnaya coal mine accident 2011 mining disasters Coal mines in the Soviet Union Coal mines in Ukraine Coal mining disasters in Ukraine Dust explosions Economy of Luhansk Oblast Gas explosions in Ukraine

July 2011 mining accident

See also

References

External links