Wilberg Mine

Wilberg Mine

The Wilberg Mine (also known as the Cottonwood/Wilberg Mine; MSHA ID No. 42-00080) is a coal mine in Emery County, Utah, approximately 12 miles northwest Orangeville, just north of State Route 29, at the northern terminus of State Route 57. The mine is operated by the Energy West Mining Company (out of Huntington) and owned by PacifiCorp Power Supply (a division of power utility company PacifiCorp).

Most of the coal is shipped by truck to Rocky Mountain Power's (a division of PacifiCorp) electric generation Hunter Power Plant, located south of the town of Castle Dale.

Location

The Wilberg Mine is located at coor dms|39|19|16|N|111|07|23|W|city (39.321078°, -111.122948°)GR|1 with its entrance at an elevation of 7,602 feet (2,317 m).

History

The mine was started by Cyrus Wilberg in September of 1949. In October of 1968, the mining rights were bought by Peabody Coal Company, who idled the mine except for limited exploratory mining until March of 1974, when energy prices saw a sharp rise. Utah Power & Light (UP&L) (now operated as Rocky Mountain Power a division of PacifiCorp) purchased the rights to the mine on April 18, 1977, and then contracted out operating the mine to American Coal Company. In June 1979 Emery Mining Corporation (EMC) took over operations.

In December 1984 the mine employed 326 miners, and 290 of those were working underground on three shifts-a-day, five days a week. Production averaged 11,000 tons of coal per day.

After the fire, in 1985, the mine was divided into two separate mines. The mine workings on the west side of the fire seals became the Cottonwood Mine (MSHA ID No. 42-01944).

UP&L took over operating the mine, forming UP&L Mining Division, on April 29, 1986, retaining most of the EMC employees.

1984 disaster

It is most notable for the fire on 19 December, 1984 which claimed 27 lives: 18 miners and 9 company officials. The disaster was the worst coal mine fire in Utah history. The escape route of the 27 persons was cut off when the fire quickly engulfed the intake of the 5th Right longwall.

The fire was caused by a faulty air compressor, which was allowed to run unattended in an area that was not fire-proofed. [Mine Safety and Health Administration, "Report of Investigation: Underground Coal Mine Fire, Wilberg Mine" (1987)] Fact|date=August 2007 In his article, "Remembering the Wilberg Mine disaster" in The Salt Lake Tribune, Mike Gorrell says: "MSHA concluded an air compressor with two defective safety devices started the fire, a theory rejected by Emery Mining and the union." [ [http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_2491518 "Remembering the Wilberg Mine disaster"] By Mike Gorrell, The Salt Lake Tribune, Article Last Updated: 08/06/2007]

Lives lost

List of Emery Mining Corporation (EMC) employees who lost their life at the Wilberg Mine: [ [http://history.utah.gov/apps/markers/detailed_results.php?markerid=1153 Wilberg Mine Memorial located west of Orangeville on State Route 29] ]

* Phillip Bell
* Bert Bennett
* James Bertuzzi
* David Bocook - (Mine Manager)
* Ricci Camberlango
* Curtis Carter
* Robert Christensen
* Vic Cingolani - (General Mine Foreman)
* Gordon Conover
* Randy Curry
* Owen Curtis
* Roger Ellis
* James Hamlin - (EMC Vice President of Operations)
* Leroy Hersh
* Brian Howard
* Barry Jacobs
* Cary Jennings
* Lee Johansen
* Joel Nevitt
* Alex Poulos - (General Mine Foreman-Longwall)
* Kelly Riddle
* Ray Snow
* Lynn Robinson
* John Waldoch
* Lester Walls, Jr.
* Nanette Wheeler
* John Wilsey

References

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Crandall Canyon Mine — Coordinates: 39°27′36″N 111°10′04″W / 39.460000°N 111.167639°W / 39.460000; 111.167639 The Crandall Canyon Mine, formerly Genwal …   Wikipedia

  • Utah State Route 57 — Infobox road state=UT type=SR route=57 section=111 maint=UDOT length mi=10.691 length round=3 length ref=cite web | title=State Route 57 Highway reference | publisher=Utah Department of Transportation |… …   Wikipedia

  • Orangeville, Utah — For other places with the same name, see Orangeville (disambiguation). Orangeville, Utah   City   Orangeville City Office …   Wikipedia

  • Utah State Route 10 — Infobox road state=UT type=SR route=10 section=106 maint=UDOT length mi=68.816 length round=3 length ref=cite web url=http://www.dot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=7269013113017372 title=Highway Reference Information Route 0010 accessdate=2008 02… …   Wikipedia

  • Emery County, Utah — Infobox U.S. County county = Emery County state = Utah seallink = map size = 150 founded year = 1880 seat wl = Castle Dale largest city wl = Huntington area total sq mi = 4462 area total km2 = 11555 area land sq mi = 4452 area land km2 = 11530… …   Wikipedia

  • Utah State Route 29 — Infobox road state=UT type=SR route=29 section=108 maint=UDOT length mi=21.732 length round=3 length ref= [http://www.dot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=7055503071314229 UDOT Highway Reference, SR 29] ] established=1915 as a state highway; 1927 as… …   Wikipedia

  • Requiem — For other uses, see Requiem (disambiguation). Requiem Mass for Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria at the Catholic Church of St. Catherine, Saint Petersburg, 1914. A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead (Latin: Missa pro… …   Wikipedia

  • Socialism — This article is about socialism as an economic system and political philosophy. For socialism as a specific stage of socioeconomic development in Marxist theory, see Socialism (Marxism) …   Wikipedia

  • Sing, Choirs of Angels! — Infobox Album Name = Sing, Choirs of Angels! Type = Album Artist = Mormon Tabernacle Choir Released = 2004 Producer = Mack Wilberg Sing, Choirs of Angels! is a Christmas album released by Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The album was originally released …   Wikipedia

  • Ethereal being — Water nymph by John Collier, 1923. Ethereal beings, according to some belief systems and occult theories, are mystic entities that usually are not made of ordinary matter. Despite the fact that they are believed to be essentially incorporeal,… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”