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Post by smshogun on Apr 4, 2016 20:37:26 GMT -5
Its been an interesting day as I met an old friend in a rather influential position who suggested if GB pulls out of the EU that coal mining may resume in the UK as it will be free of the shackles which closed it which was the environmental legislation imposed on us by the EU and the dictatorship tactics they employ in pursuit of their policies of stopping member states being independent and self sufficient.
He suggested the Government had no solid long term energy strategy and they were always reacting to a situation instead of pre-empting a situation and finding a viable solution before it became a problem and if we left the EU other European countries may restrict our supplies of gas from the former communist states and not enough capacity exists to transport LNG to produce sufficient electricity supplies and the only viable option was coal as our only natural resource to provide a constantly high enough base load which is also flexible enough to allow other environmental systems such as wind or solar to be fed into the system. He claimed that as an interim measure all former pit tips could be outcropped to provide a source of coal due to modern separation methods until mines could come back on stream.
He claimed with the break away from the EU could potentially see projects such as foreign (EU countries) owned power stations replacements funding would be removed meaning the reliance upon coal would become greater and power stations wouldn't be just power stations, they would be a power hub for many other things such as large growing areas for glasshouses which would absorb a lot of the CO2 emissions and use surplus heat to heat them and grow large forests around them for commercial harvested timber as they can dissipate a proportion of CO2 into such forests quickly and easily.
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Post by Wheldale on Apr 5, 2016 13:12:06 GMT -5
Would be interesting to see. I could imagine the caps being pulled of the shafts at Kellingley and Thoresby, those shafts wasn't filled. I wonder how much damage if any has happened to the workings after such a short period of time?
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Post by John on Apr 5, 2016 13:27:45 GMT -5
A viable modern coal industry would be a nice dream, BUT, would it be possible?? Last year I was reading a report the NCB carried out in Nottinghamshire made during the mass closure period in the mid 80's. It dealt with the water problems in working mines caused by the closure of older collieries in Derbyshire and west Notts. They had to build a water storage area in the Bentinck, Annesley, Newstead area because of water migrating through old goafs and the strata into those mines. This necessitated building underground dams with large pumping capacities to keep mines still operating from getting overwhelmed with water.
In the paper mention was made of Cotgrave, when water started migrating through the seams and strata from Clifton and Wollaton/Radford collieries, although nothing was mentioned what was to be done when this happened, not sure whether it did happen.
If it is feasible, where would a new colliery be sunk?? Or could Cotgrave be reopened with some shaft rehabilitation, then take the upper seams that were never exploited??
I doubt the Selby complex could be re-opened even if pumping out was a financial viability, I think whoever tried it would find planning permission would be refused due to the "Rangerover set" East of Newark would look good, but would the depth of the seams be a problem?? Could they keep the main roads open at the depths of those seams??
Could they overcome the public resistance in the Vale of Belvoir?? That could be another place to sink a new mine.
There could be lots of planning headaches for anyone who wants to sink new mines in old mining areas, I wonder if the government would set up a new BC, should the UK get out of the EU?
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Post by John on Apr 5, 2016 13:29:18 GMT -5
Would be interesting to see. I could imagine the caps being pulled of the shafts at Kellingley and Thoresby, those shafts wasn't filled. I wonder how much damage if any has happened to the workings after such a short period of time? Thoresby ran out of reserves though, did they fill Hatfield?? Or just cap it??
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Post by John on Apr 5, 2016 13:32:30 GMT -5
I suppose they could exploit seams under the North Sea off Northumberland once more, but they would be restricted to Bord and Pillar mining, but with todays CM's it would be possible to have million ton pits.
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Post by Wheldale on Apr 5, 2016 13:36:58 GMT -5
Would be interesting to see. I could imagine the caps being pulled of the shafts at Kellingley and Thoresby, those shafts wasn't filled. I wonder how much damage if any has happened to the workings after such a short period of time? Thoresby ran out of reserves though, did they fill Hatfield?? Or just cap it??I believe Thoresby had about 5 years left. Hatfield was filled in. Now here is a thought..... Why not dig out the shafts at Hatfield and at the same times make the shafts larger. Maybe the roadways and pit bottom would still be in a usable condition? With regards to going back to coal mining in the UK. I reckon the green movement would be the biggest obstacle. With fracking it is said that Russia provides a lot of money to the anti fracking protestors. I reckon Russia would do the same as they provide the UK with a lot of coal.
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Post by eleceng on Apr 5, 2016 13:45:29 GMT -5
Where would they get experienced workers from? The amount that would be needed probably wouldn't want to go U/G anymore. Not to mention surface manpower.
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Post by Wheldale on Apr 5, 2016 13:54:12 GMT -5
I bet there would be quite a few ex miners who would sign up again. Plus I bet there would be good packages for miners to relocate from other countries, quite a lot of miners out of work world wide.
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Post by John on Apr 5, 2016 15:34:32 GMT -5
I bet there would be quite a few ex miners who would sign up again. Plus I bet there would be good packages for miners to relocate from other countries, quite a lot of miners out of work world wide. What about the lack now of qualified staff, 1st, 2nd and 3rd class ticket holders, then elecs and fitters, ropemen, blacksmiths, just for starters, then there's pay, maybe you could lure European labour, then you have a language problem, then what about mines Inspectors. The longer it's left the fewer skilled men will be around. There will only be somewhere in the region of six thousand miners left of work age, whittle that down with those that say they have had enough. If it was a viable proposition, it will take years to get enough pits up and running with skilled men to man them. AND, there are no collages now that teach coal mining subjects. I'll bet the same goes for France, Belgium, Holland etc, if the EU breaks up, I'll bet they envision resurrecting their coal industries for power needs.
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Post by tygwyn on Apr 6, 2016 18:30:50 GMT -5
If the UK leaves the EU, Why would it want to open un-profitable collieries when the world is awash with cheap coal?
I thought most people already realised the UK government didn't have a thought out energy policy.
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Post by John on Apr 7, 2016 5:49:52 GMT -5
If the UK leaves the EU, Why would it want to open un-profitable collieries when the world is awash with cheap coal? I thought most people already realised the UK government didn't have a thought out energy policy. I gather from the first post that that's a possibility Jim, an energy policy so as not to be reliant on foreign energy. At the moment, where does most of your "base" energy come from?? France?
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Clive
Shotfirer.
Posts: 168
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Post by Clive on Apr 8, 2016 15:01:22 GMT -5
If the UK leaves the EU, Why would it want to open un-profitable collieries when the world is awash with cheap coal? I thought most people already realised the UK government didn't have a thought out energy policy. Jim man we know it aint going to happen .all the coal like everything eles comes from the cheepest bidder. The powers that be work on globalization. Whilst we on the ground see just nstianalism..or eu
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Post by andyexplorer on Apr 10, 2016 17:39:28 GMT -5
Would be interesting to see. I could imagine the caps being pulled of the shafts at Kellingley and Thoresby, those shafts wasn't filled. I wonder how much damage if any has happened to the workings after such a short period of time? Would it not be more feasible to sink new shafts closer to the coal faces ? they were working miles away from the existing shafts ,and it would save millions in the upkeep and maintenance of the old roadways
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Post by andyexplorer on Apr 10, 2016 17:44:08 GMT -5
Also why is it that we have to close our coal fired power stations when Germany are allowed to build 25 new ones burning crappy lignite ,the poorest of quality coal,which gives off poor heat & leaves 25 to 30% ash, I think their master plan is a European grid , where they can cut a country off at the flick of a switch ,to punish them for desent
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Post by Wheldale on Apr 11, 2016 15:20:04 GMT -5
Would be interesting to see. I could imagine the caps being pulled of the shafts at Kellingley and Thoresby, those shafts wasn't filled. I wonder how much damage if any has happened to the workings after such a short period of time? Would it not be more feasible to sink new shafts closer to the coal faces ? they were working miles away from the existing shafts ,and it would save millions in the upkeep and maintenance of the old roadways There's 3 shallower seams at Kellingley that could be worked by drifts from the service. Open the shafts back up and there's a possibility you could start underground development before the drifts are completed.
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merlin
Shotfirer.
prop and lid
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Post by merlin on Apr 30, 2016 12:15:00 GMT -5
it will be cheaper to sink new pits there are vast reserves in north wales
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