DATE: 23 AUG 2010
QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

In line with Peabody's ongoing commitment to continuous improvement, the company has become the first underground coal miner in Australia to install a long-term entrapment refuge from MineARC, after purchasing a 14 person CoalSAFE unit in August.

The unit - installed at Peabody's North Goonyella coal in Queensland is intrinsically safe (non-electrically powered), can be transported virtually anywhere underground and can provide safe refuge for up to 14 people for 36hrs in the event of an emergency.

Currently, Australia does not have legislation in place governing the provision of underground refuge in its coal mines, unlike other major producers such as the United States and China where refuge is now mandatory. Legislation in the US was introduced after the Sago coal mine disaster in West Virginia, after a blast and subsequent rock fall trapped 13 miners, all of whom sadly died waiting to be rescued.

A Guideline was introduced into the Australian hard-rock industry in 2005, with the DMP's 'Refuge Alternatives for Underground Metalliferous Mines' providing a firm benchmark for mines to adhere to. However, the attitude in Australian coal circles has previously not supported refuge.

Refuge proponents have long argued the case for refuge as a last resort when escape is no longer safe or even possible - such as in cases where rock falls, toxic gas or fires and smoke block the escape route. A situation demonstrating the need for refuge occurred recently in Chile where 33 miners were found alive in a refuge after weeks underground.

"We're very pleased that Peabody has decided to incorporate refuge into its emergency response plans at North Goonyella Mine," said MineARC General Manager Mike Lincoln. "While we have been operating here in Australia for over 10 years, we have been manufacturing hundreds of units for internationally-based coal mines. We are confident that this first sale to an Australian-based coal mine will highlight the benefits of refuge and bring a renewed focus to this safety initiative."

MineARC Systems