Sharp drops in barometric pressure can cause potentially explosive methane gas to migrate into work areas, according to the Mine Safety and Health Administration. The explosion occurred during a thunder storm.—"Blast Traps 13 in a Coal Mine in West Virginia," NY Times, Jan 3, 2006
How grateful am I not to be a coal miner?
The pure energy value of coal is as much as 29 MJ/kg. In 2004, the US produced 178 million MWh of electricity from coal and consumed 93 million tons of it, yielding energy at a rate of 7.55 MJ / kg (this discounts the energy costs of mining and transporting it, at least). The average retail price of that electricty was US$0.10 / kWh (ibid.). By my calculations, that's $2.10 / kg.
International Coal Group Inc. runs other mines in addition to Sago. Last year, at another of their mines in WV, major safety violations resulted in the death of a miner. The total fines for these violations amounted to $440, which has yet to be paid.
Now, we would hardly expect a coal miner to be worth his weight in gold, but your calculation above enables us to ask, is he worth his weight in coal? Assuming a mean miner weight of 90 kg, we get a price for miners' lives of $4.90 / kg. So we find that miners are worth more than double their weight in coal - a fact which will probably not much temper your gratitude at not being one.
Thank you, Desultor. An astute and moving analysis, as usual. It's disappointing, the degree to which companies will shirk their humanistic responsibilities.
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