A jewel in the desert: BHP Billiton's San Juan underground mine

Journal Article · Sat Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2007 · Coal Age

OSTI ID:21017044

Buchsbaum, L

The Navajo Nation is America's largest native American tribe by population and acreage, and is blessed with large tracks of good coal deposits. BHP Billiton's New Mexico Coal Co. is the largest in the Navajo regeneration area. The holdings comprise the San Juan underground mine, the La Plata surface mine, now in reclamation, and the expanding Navajo surface mine. The article recounts the recent history of the mines. It stresses the emphasis on sensitivity to and helping to sustain tribal culture, and also on safety. San Juan's longwall system is unique to the nation. It started up as an automated system from the outset. Problems caused by hydrogen sulfide are being tackled. San Juan has a bleederless ventilation system to minimise the risk of spontaneous combustion of methane and the atmospheric conditions in the mine are heavily monitored, especially within the gob areas. 3 photos.

• OSTI ID: 21017044
• Journal Information: Coal Age, Vol. 112, Issue 12; ISSN 0009-9910
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
UNDERGROUND MINING
COAL MINES
USA
LONGWALL MINING
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
DESERTS
NEW MEXICO
SURFACE MINING
SUBBITUMINOUS COAL
COMMUNITIES
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
AUTOMATION
METHANE
AMERICAN INDIANS
VENTILATION SYSTEMS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION