Bleaker Perspective For New Zealand Mine Workers
The situation for the workers caught within the New Zealand Mine is not progressing as hoped. The amounts of methane gas within the Pike River Mine are too high at present to mount a rescue. A rescue may be too hazardous to begin at this point. It’s not known if the miners are nevertheless alive.
Gas in New Zealand Mine considered dangerous
The 29 miners may not be able to get rescued. The New Zealand mine conditions will determine what happens. Friday, November 12 was when the blast happened, accounts the Telegraph. There was lots of methane found within the air samples taken three days later. Methane is a particularly volatile gas that is a common by-product of coal mining, and can cause Mine explosions. A bomb disposal robot could be sent down to the Mine. This will allow the situation to be assessed better. The robot would stop working though if the air is very rich in methane since it’s a battery operated robot that works in fresh air only.
May not function just like the Chilean Mine event
Officials in New Zealand have been communicating with officials from the Chilean Mine disaster, from which 33 men miraculously walked away. The main difference that makes thing the hardest is the Pike River coal Mine outside Greymouth is a coal Mine while the Chilean Mine was a copper and gold Mine. The composition of coal ores makes it so hazardous gases like methane are released. This is what is dangerous about coal mines. Preparing for death is something the New Zealand officials are doing as they’re “planning for all outcomes” that could come from this. USA Today accounts this.
Have not been able to communicate
There hasn’t been any communications with the New Zealand miners. This will hopefully change soon. There has been a constant ring in the Mine with the phone line. Nobody has answered the phone. New Zealand has one of the safer records of mining within the world, with accidents being rarer than in other countries.
Information from
The Telegraph
telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/newzealand/8151428/New-Zealand-mine-relatives-told-to-brace-for-deaths.html
USA Today
