Following the news about the explosion in the West Virginia coal mine is a lot easier if you have a guide.

I came upon a nice explanation of how such explosions happen, where the gas and dust come from, and what is/can/might be done prevent them explosions in the future. All in well detailed but easy to understand language.

http://bittooth.blogspot.com/2010/04/more-explanations-of-coal-mine-gas-and.html

More information is available by following the labels at the end of the post and reviewing the site in general.

Excellent article.

I am glad I never worked in coal.

I work in mining and yes coal is intrinsically dangerous.
But - the safety attitude in a lot of US mines, hard rock as well as coal leaves a lot to be desired compared to Canada and Australia.

It's not the actual safety rules which are about the same as everywhere else - or the enforcement, though that is often pretty lax.
But the general safety attitude hasn't got through to the guys at 'coalface'. It's like construction, everybody pays lip service to hard hats and boots but the workers think it's some silly rules by management suits who aren't tough enough to get the job done.

There are some very good companies that are on top of safety (eg Barrick) but across the industry the number of workers who will happily risk themselves and others because they just want to get the job done is scary. And the number of foremen, managers, inspectors who think that they are being productive or saving money by ignoring this - hint you aren't, accidents are very expensive.

I spent a couple hours inside an eastern Kentucky coal mine and it made a lasting impression. Those deep underground Appalachian coal mines are an extremely dangerous business. There's a thin line between safe and dead when you're that deep in the Earth, especially in an environment that generates explosive gasses.

Couldn't even come close to standing up in the coal seam we were in. Rode in on our backs in a small, low rail car -- four abreast. The mine opening quickly tapered, to where the ceiling was hardly a foot from our faces. The only time I've ever felt claustrophobic.

When the rail ran out we got on a similar transport with wheels. When that ran out we crawled to where the "continuous miner" was digging the coal. While watching it the ceiling over the machine collapsed. Somewhere I have photos. The company VP's face looked rather shocked.

Continuous Miners

A machine with a large rotating steel drum equipped with tungsten carbide teeth that scrape coal from the seam. Operating in a “room and pillar” system – where the mine is divided into a series of 20-to-30 foot “rooms” or work areas cut into the coalbed – it can mine as much as five tons of coal a minute – more than a miner of the 1920s would produce in an entire day. Continuous miners account for about 45% of underground coal production, and also utilize conveyors to transport the removed coal from the seam.