United Coal bolsters mine rescue training at Virginia Tech

United Coal Company (UCC) has donated Biomarine mine rescue equipment to Virginia Tech’s Mine Engineering Department to help facilitate students’ development into proficient mining engineers. “The impact of this donation on the Virginia Tech Mine Engineering Department is expected to be profound, enhancing their ability to train and prepare for mine rescue operations,” said UCC officials.  “The equipment enables more…

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Virginia Tech researchers use autonomous technologies
to make mines safer

How do you use drones and robots to make underground mining less risky for workers?  Virginia Tech researcher Richard Bishop and his West Virginia University collaborators are working to answer this question. A recent two-year, $569,149 Alpha Foundation grant will allow the team to study ways to use autonomous drones to predict and prevent roof collapses underground. It’s urgent work.…

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Virginia Tech researchers use autonomous technologies to make mines safer

How do you use drones and robots to make underground mining less risky for workers?  Virginia Tech researcher Richard Bishop and his West Virginia University collaborators are working to answer this question. A recent two-year, $569,149 Alpha Foundation grant will allow the team to study ways to use autonomous drones to predict and prevent roof collapses underground. It’s urgent work.…

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Reaching for the sky: DRONES IN MINING

Drones are becoming an increasingly common sight above mines around the world. North American Mining interviewed Jonathan Baucom of Vistra Corp., who has extensive experience planning and implementing mining drone operations. We also profile a number of drone solutions suppliers.  by Jonathan Rowland  Jonathan Baucom is a 15-year veteran of the U.S. mining industry. After studying mining and minerals engineering…

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Virginia Tech experts tapped to explore Virginia’s gold mining impact

Renewed attention to gold mining at both new and historical sites in Virginia prompted the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine at Virginia Tech to convene a study about the potential impacts of gold mining, chaired by William Hopkins, Virginia Tech professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation in the College of Natural Resources and Environment. Hopkins,…

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