Coal Mine in Tula Region

1. Mine building began in 1967. It supposed to be one of the largest mines of coal-basin around Moscow. The mine was put into operation in 1974.

2. 80 people on a four-shift basis work here currently. Coal mining is produced in minor volumes. And given the factory price of coal all this is not profitable for the mine.

3. The main mode of transport in the pit is narrow-gauge line with 900 mm track. Three electromotives work in the ground-borne part and seven – underground.

4. Gob pile (in the distance) is filled with an interesting technique. A car on the cable attached to the pole goes there. Aerial railroad is double unique because it is single-masted. Gob pile is approximately 164 feet high and topmost of the mast is 393 feet above the ground.

5. A general view of the mine.

6. One can say that coal mining industry is within an inch of death.

7. Theoretically there are development projects for thin sphere of industry but no real action was made yet. 1800 people worked in the mine until 1990s.

8. Let’s have a look at general mining plan. Coal mining is operated on one and the same level 242 feet deep underground. Two pit shafts (main and secondary) go down. Coal shifting and air pumping are made through the main shaft. Secondary shaft serves for man- and equipment-riding. The mine consists of three wings – North, South and East. South wing is partially flooded and East wing is gas polluted. Total length of underground tunnel is 16 miles.

9. There are classrooms in the administration building of the mine. Formerly, students did their practical work here. Information material tells about mine organization.

10. Conveyor system plan. Tunneling machine is on the right. Air gate crosses it vertically on the left, and haulage gate goes along the air gate. Belt road is at the bottom of the plan where the belt conveyor is located. Boundary entry is located at the top horizontally. A little bit lower relay and switches for electric equipment handling is presented on the stand.

11. Demonstration model of tunneling machine 4PP-2. It is the only place where you can see it assembled because it is assembled from different pieces underground.

12. Before descending into the mine it is necessary to learn safety rules then dress in working cloth, get a helmet, lamp and self-rescue breathing apparatus.

13. Main clock. Formerly, a special computer system was installed here and every miner has his own token that he should be marked with these computers. Nowadays there machines are switched off.

14. On this photo you can see banking level where a cage for descending under the ground is located.

15. Warning signs are placed in front of the cage that light up one by one.

16. In the cage. Descending underground is rather fast.

17. Having descended underground one should “acclimate oneself” in a special room.

18. Everyone descending underground should check out and inform about his or her route. There are telephones along the tunnels and you should use them to inform the duty officer about your location.

19. One day the lightning was here but nowadays it is demounted. Different types of supports are installed in different mine parts depending on ground pressure. Here, you can see vaulted concrete supports with concrete-slab lagging.

20. Tapered support can be seen in the left tunnel. Overhead wire is also absent in this part of the mine.

21. Several parts of the mine are waterlogged. Both wooden and reinforced concrete sleepers are used on the haulage tracks several of which were not repaired from the opening of the mine.

22. Not-go cut-through is seen to the left. There is no admittance there because of gas pollution. Fire water supply pipe is seen on the ceiling.

23. One of the halting points with the telephone.

24. Vault draw happened in this part of the way because of the groundwater stream. Vaults were reinforced with additional supports to prevent collapsing.

25. Another cut-through where we turn left.

26. And here we turn right. During this tour we covered 4.35 miles underground.

27. Haulage track goes left. It is shut by the door to prevent ventilation loss. Fresh air is driven into the mine from the surface by huge air machines.

28. Trucks with pump sets can be seen in different parts. They are necessary in case groundwater stream course change and some parts of the tunnel begin to flood.

29. This is a face. A telephone can be seen on the left wall. In front of you is the so called power train that messes powered complex.

30. In the pit. Unmined coal can be seen to the left and tunnel machine supports to the right. These supports back up vaults of already passed part of the mine.

31. This photo was taken from under the supports. Hydraulic drives can be seen left and to the right is worm gear. This room is little more than 3 feet.

32. Then cut rock goes to conveyer.

33. A conveyer drive.

34. Pit contactors for electric motors handling can be seen to the left. Conveyer belt is on the rught.

35. Belt road output that leads to the haulage track is seen to the left. Here, rocks from the conveyer are loaded onto the cars. Lightning bulbs is still here.

36. Most roads have wooden tie bars which are always heated. Constantly charged trolleys can be seen under the ceiling. It means that being here without a helmet is forbidden as well as lifting hands.

37. Another face. Sure venting system was switched on before entering this part of the mine.

38. These are mine cars loaded with dismantled pipes of fire water supply in the air gate.

39. Electromotive ferries cars loaded with coal on a long haulage track to the main shaft where they are unloaded in a tippler. The tippler can hold two cars.

40. Underground roundhouse where repair and maintenance of electromotives are held. They are not shifted to the surface. The roundhouse is in the East wing. In the good times of the coal mine more than 45 electromotives worked underground.