| Suhodolskaya-Vostochnaya coal mine | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Location | Suhodolsk |
| town | Lugansk Oblast |
| Country | Ukraine |
| Production | |
| Products | Coal |
| Production | 712,000 tonnes |
| History | |
| Opened | 1980 |
The Suhodolskaya-Vostochnaya coal mine is a large underground coal mine located in the south-east of Ukraine in Lugansk Oblast. Suhodolskaya-Vostochnaya represents one of the largest coal reserves in Ukraine having estimated reserves of 157.4 million tonnes.[1] The annual coal production is around 712,000 tonnes.
Bituminous coal is mined using longwall mining at depths between 785 and 1,028 m. The mine began operation in 1980.[1]
Shortly before 2 a.m. on 29 July 2011 an explosion occurred 3,000 feet (915 meters) underground in the mine. Initial reports indicated that at least 17 people were killed and nine others were missing,[2] but later all 26 were reported to have died.[3] Investigators suspect the accident was caused by a powerful explosion of methane.[4] Mykhailo Volynets, the head of the Independent Trade Union of Miners, called the Suhodolskaya-Vostochnaya mine "one of the most dangerous in Ukraine" due to buildups of methane and coal dust.[2] The President of Ukraine ordered the government to set up a commission to investigate the accident.[5] Later that same day, Ukraine experienced a second fatal coal-mining accident when an elevator collapsed at the Bazhanova Coal Mine.[2][3]
|
|||||||||||||||