Brookwood Mine: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Brookwood No 7 mine aerial.jpg|right|thumb|425px|Aerial view of surface operations at the Brookwood No. 7 mine]] | [[File:Brookwood No 7 mine aerial.jpg|right|thumb|425px|Aerial view of surface operations at the Brookwood No. 7 mine]] | ||
The '''Brookwood Mine''' | The '''Brookwood Mine''', or '''Warrior Met Coal Mines''' are a series of underground metallurgical [[coal]] mines accessing the [[Blue Creek Seam]] of the [[Warrior coal field]] near [[Brookwood]]. The active mine operations are currently at the No. 4 and No. 7 mines. | ||
The coal is extracted using longwall and continuous mining techniques, operating from 1,400 to 2,100 feet below ground. Walters' "Blue Creek Coal" is marketed as delivering "high coking strength with low coking pressure, low sulfur and low-to-medium ash content with high Btu values". It is shipped by barge down the [[Black Warrior River]] from its own loading facility at [[Port Birmingham]]. | The coal is extracted using longwall and continuous mining techniques, operating from 1,400 to 2,100 feet below ground and accessed by vertical hoist shafts. Walters' "Blue Creek Coal" is marketed as a metallurgical coal delivering, "high coking strength with low coking pressure, low sulfur and low-to-medium ash content with high Btu values". It is shipped by barge down the [[Black Warrior River]] from its own loading facility at [[Port Birmingham]] to the Port of Mobile and supplies steel-making plants around the world. | ||
The Brookwood No. 5 mine was the site of a [[2001 Jim Walter No. 5 Mine explosion|fatal accident]] on [[September 23]], [[2001]]. Methane gas released in a cave-in fueled two large explosions, killing thirteen workers. | The mines were opened beginning in [[1972]] by [[Jim Walter Resources]]. Walter Resources became a division of [[Walter Industries]] in [[1987]] later was renamed [[Walter Energy]]. The Brookwood No. 5 mine was the site of a [[2001 Jim Walter No. 5 Mine explosion|fatal accident]] on [[September 23]], [[2001]]. Methane gas released in a cave-in fueled two large explosions, killing thirteen workers. | ||
A depressed market for metallurgical coal caused Walter Energy to lay off as many as 907 workers from its No. 4 and No. 7 mines in [[2015]] as the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. | A depressed market for metallurgical coal caused Walter Energy to lay off as many as 907 workers from its No. 4 and No. 7 mines in [[2015]] as the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company's local operations were acquired in [[2017]] by a newly-formed public company called [[Warrior Met Coal]]. | ||
In [[2018]] the company opened a new $19 million north mine portal which eliminated 5.1 miles of travel from the existing west portal to the working face. A newly-installed 40-ton hoist moves as many as 70 workers between the surface and the 1,451-foot deep mine at a speed of 900 feet per minute. Additional features of the 33,000 square-foot portal facility include a bathhouse, two kitchens, 40 offices, and training classrooms. | |||
In [[2021]] residents in the vicinity of [[Texas Creek]] and [[Davis Creek]] reported that the streams were stained an opaque black color. The [[Alabama Department of Environmental Management]] collected water samples and conducted an inspection of the mine operations, then affected by a [[United Mine Workers of America|UMWA]] labor strike. ADEM identified a coal preparation plant at the No. 7 mine as the source of the pollution. The company announced that it was replacing a liner in the plant's sedimentation pool to correct the issue. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
* Poe, Kelly (December 29, 2015) "Walter Energy lays off 319, leaving 24 mine workers at No. 4 mine." {{BN}} | * Poe, Kelly (December 29, 2015) "Walter Energy lays off 319, leaving 24 mine workers at No. 4 mine." {{BN}} | ||
* "Warrior Met Coal to Open New Mine No. 7 North Portal Facility with Alabama Governor Kay Ivey in Attendance." (April 30, 2018) Warrior Met Coal press release | |||
* Pillion, Dennis (May 4, 2021) "Alabama creeks run black near Tuscaloosa County coal mine, state investigating." {{BN}} | |||
* Pillion, Dennis (May 12, 2021) "State blames coal mine after creeks turned black near Tuscaloosa." {{BN}} | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
* [http:// | * [http://warriormetcoal.com/about-wmc/ Warrior Met Coal] website | ||
[[Category:Coal mines]] | [[Category:Coal mines]] | ||
Revision as of 16:43, 13 May 2021
The Brookwood Mine, or Warrior Met Coal Mines are a series of underground metallurgical coal mines accessing the Blue Creek Seam of the Warrior coal field near Brookwood. The active mine operations are currently at the No. 4 and No. 7 mines.
The coal is extracted using longwall and continuous mining techniques, operating from 1,400 to 2,100 feet below ground and accessed by vertical hoist shafts. Walters' "Blue Creek Coal" is marketed as a metallurgical coal delivering, "high coking strength with low coking pressure, low sulfur and low-to-medium ash content with high Btu values". It is shipped by barge down the Black Warrior River from its own loading facility at Port Birmingham to the Port of Mobile and supplies steel-making plants around the world.
The mines were opened beginning in 1972 by Jim Walter Resources. Walter Resources became a division of Walter Industries in 1987 later was renamed Walter Energy. The Brookwood No. 5 mine was the site of a fatal accident on September 23, 2001. Methane gas released in a cave-in fueled two large explosions, killing thirteen workers.
A depressed market for metallurgical coal caused Walter Energy to lay off as many as 907 workers from its No. 4 and No. 7 mines in 2015 as the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company's local operations were acquired in 2017 by a newly-formed public company called Warrior Met Coal.
In 2018 the company opened a new $19 million north mine portal which eliminated 5.1 miles of travel from the existing west portal to the working face. A newly-installed 40-ton hoist moves as many as 70 workers between the surface and the 1,451-foot deep mine at a speed of 900 feet per minute. Additional features of the 33,000 square-foot portal facility include a bathhouse, two kitchens, 40 offices, and training classrooms.
In 2021 residents in the vicinity of Texas Creek and Davis Creek reported that the streams were stained an opaque black color. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management collected water samples and conducted an inspection of the mine operations, then affected by a UMWA labor strike. ADEM identified a coal preparation plant at the No. 7 mine as the source of the pollution. The company announced that it was replacing a liner in the plant's sedimentation pool to correct the issue.
References
- Poe, Kelly (December 29, 2015) "Walter Energy lays off 319, leaving 24 mine workers at No. 4 mine." The Birmingham News
- "Warrior Met Coal to Open New Mine No. 7 North Portal Facility with Alabama Governor Kay Ivey in Attendance." (April 30, 2018) Warrior Met Coal press release
- Pillion, Dennis (May 4, 2021) "Alabama creeks run black near Tuscaloosa County coal mine, state investigating." The Birmingham News
- Pillion, Dennis (May 12, 2021) "State blames coal mine after creeks turned black near Tuscaloosa." The Birmingham News
External links
- Warrior Met Coal website