Studies of the Scottish oil shale industry. Volume 1. History of the industry, working conditions, and mineralogy of Scottish and Green River formation shales. Final report

Technical Report · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5807938

Louw, S J; Addison, J

This report (in 3 volumes) describes the now defunct Scottish oil shale industry and effects on the health of its workers. The first volume recounts in brief the technological history of the industry's mines and retorts. This is based on a survey of available documents which, together with first-hand accounts from interviews with surviving shale workers, have also been used to make an assessment of dust conditions and of safety precautions in the industry. It also includes a mineralogical characterization of Scottish shales compared with those from the Green River formation in the Colorado Rockies. This industry had a life span of some 112 years from its foundation in 1850, when James 'paraffin' Young constructed a facility to retort and refine cannel coal near Bathgate, West Lothian. At its peak, in 1913, the industry employed 10,000 people though economic factors forced its subsequent gradual decline and the final blow was struck when the differential excise duty was withdrawn in 1962. 40 refs., 16 figs., 10 tabs.

• Research Organization: Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh (UK)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-82ER60036
• OSTI ID: 5807938
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/60036-T2-Vol.1; IOM-TM-85/2; ON: DE85013323
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040000* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands
040201 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Site Geology-- (-1989)
040700 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Health & Safety
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DUSTS
ENERGY SOURCES
EUROPE
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GREEN RIVER FORMATION
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
INDUSTRY
MATERIALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINERALOGY
OIL SHALE DEPOSITS
OIL SHALE INDUSTRY
OIL SHALES
PERSONNEL
RESOURCES
SAFETY
UNITED KINGDOM
WESTERN EUROPE