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Inside a Russian Coal Mine

spanic — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:20:23 +0000

Today we’ll go down to a depth of 70 meters below the surface, into one of Russia’s many coal mines and see how it all works. Plus, you’ll find out where the 120 meter semi-abandoned mast is located.

Coal mine “Moscow” located in the Tula region (9 km from the village Gritsovsky) is currently the only coal mine in the whole central region of Russia. This mine used to be very productive in the early 80’s but today, since people refuse to use coal as energy, the mine barely produces any coal at all. The decline began in the 90’s and at that time the Tula region alone employed more than 30 coal mines. There were also mines in Ryazan, Tver and Smolensk regions.

Construction of the mine began in 1967. It was assumed that this will be one of the largest mines of the Moscow coalfield. The mine was completed in 1974.

At the moment, the mine employs 80 people who are working in 4 shifts. Coal is produced in very low volumes and at the current price, it’s not very profitable for the mine.

The main mode of transportation in the mine is a narrow-gauge railroad with a track of 900 mm. There are 3 electric coal carriers working on the surface of the mine and 7 below.

The pile of slagheap (tailings) is located not far away from the mine and is accumulated in a very interesting manner. The container carrying the slagheap is rope fastened to the mast. It carries the material all the way to the top of the tower and then dumps it into the large pile of tailings. The height of the pile is about 50 meters and the height of the tower is 120.

General view of the mine.

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There are ongoing projects to continue the development of this industry, but so far no real action is taken. Before the decline of the coal industry this mine employed over 1800 people.

Here’s the plan of the mine. There are two shafts going into the surface. The main shaft is used to carry out coal and to pump oxygen. The auxiliary shaft is used to carry workers and equipment. This mine has three wings – the north wing, the south wing and the east wing. They can be easily identified on the map. The southern wing is partially flooded and the southeastern is filled with gases. The total length of the underground tunnels is about 26 kilometers.

The administrative building of the mine also has classrooms. Previously, students who wanted to become workers in this facility were trained in this building.

Scheme of the conveyor line.

A model of the 4PP-2 miner. It is only here that you can see the whole machine since it is assembled underground, in the tunnels, and is covered with earth from all of it’s sides.

Before descending into the mine, everybody has to get acquainted with the safety rules, change into working cloths, get a helmet, flashlight and a self-rescuer (a device for respiratory protection)

The main clock. Previously, the building was equipped with a special computer and each miner had a personal token which had to be stamped on these devices every time they started work. Today everything is turned off.

After this, everyone must go through an isolated chamber where the air pressure is equalized.

Elevator boarding point. The rails are for carrying equipment into the elevator on small wagons.

On top of the elevator we can see warning signs which are lit one after another.

The descent is quite fast.

After the descent everybody must pass the “acclimatization” tests in a special room.

Before going further into the tunnels, everybody must tell the supervisors their destination and the route that they will be taking. Also, while going through the tunnels, everybody must stop at checkpoints and report their position.

Everything used to be illuminated. The effect is demonstrated here with the use of exposure photography.

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Some levels of the mine are flooded.

The tunnel of the left is closed due to the large amount of gases that is contained in that area. There is a high pressure water pipe leading into that tunnel, just in case something happens.

One of the checkpoints. The head of the group had to report our position by using the phone located on the wall.

In this part of the tunnel there was a lot of substance on the ground due to the previous inflow of ground water. Everything has been repaired and the tunnel was reinforced to prevent this from happening again.

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An electric pump used to pump out water in case of a flood. These are located all over the place and are needed all the time. Without water pumps, the mine will be flooded in about 6 hours.

We are approaching the mining zone. On the picture above we can see what they call an “Electrotrain”. It is used to supply energy to the whole mechanized complex.

The mining zone. On the left we can see the material which will be extracted from the earth, in this case coal, and of the right we can see one side of the mining combiner.

The height of this tunnel is about 1.5 meters.

The cut coal is fed to the conveyor.

Conveyor drive.

Conveyor line on the right.

This is where all the coal is loaded from the conveyor line into the wagons.

In some places, the tunnels are supported by wooden sleepers which are not always in very good condition due to previous floods. This is why throughout the tunnels we can see these metal wires attached to the ceiling. They are under high tension and are used to support the ceiling if it starts to collapse.

One of many air pumps.

Water pipes which are no longer needed.

The electric trains take the coal to the main shaft, where it is unloaded into an elevator and sent to the surface.

The electric train depot. They are serviced and repaired here since they never go to the surface. There used to be 45 of these working at the same time, but today only a few remain functional.

Where Do Clouds Come From?

spanic — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:28:42 +0000

Once again we’re talking about Russian clouds…

Inside a Russian Coal Mine

Digging for Salt

spanic — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:33:52 +0000

Ukraine is home to natural bodies of both salt water and fresh water. Sasik lake is the biggest salt water lake in Ukraine, it covers a 79 square miles (205 Sq. km) on the Crimean Penunsula. This is one of the salt harvesting stations on that lake. About 20 more pictures after the break.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R – For Real

spanic — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:34:55 +0000

Russia’s fascination with cosplaying characters from bleak shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R. shows no signs of easing up, with a fresh batch showcasing an improvement in photography skills from the plucky fans.

These shots are from a little trip to the wilderness near Vyborg, Russia, which took place last month. You can’t see it, but we’re on our feet applauding the dedication. About 80 pictures after the break.

Around 200 fans showed up. The equipment wasn’t that hard to find since we’re in Russia, just grab your gas mask and anti-rad suit from the closet and you’re ready to go. The players were using air-soft guns in battles. The whole adventure was planned to last 3 days.

Marussia B2 – The First Russian Supercar Improved!

spanic — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:00:05 +0000

Marussia B2 – Russian Supercar

When we hear the phrase “Russian Supercar” we initially think of either a turbocharged tank or something made from wallpaper, powered by fictional hubris yet somehow still finished in mirrored chrome. Any of which would come with his and hers full length mink coats. However, the two Marussia models present something of a dilemma to this way of thinking. They are not awful. In fact, viewed from a distance, there’s much to like. Sure, up close they’re a tad rough (check out the exposed screws, lumpen metal over the door hinges and Pep Boys reflectors), but they’re really not bad. Which is good, if you can pardon our Orwellian wording.

The real gripe, besides not knowing bupkis about what’s under the hood (some sort of Nissan/Renault V6 coupled to electronic components from… somewhere), is that the designs are a bit derivative. Aggressive as all get out, certainly, but we’ve seen them before. The B1 has the stance of a Zonda, while the B2 is a mix of the Gumpert and Aston Martin Rapide with a smattering of Lamborghini Reventon tossed in for flavor. But as Woody Allen said, “Always be original. But if you must steal, steal from the best.” Marussia is (predictably) a little mum on the details, but we can assume the same mystery motor in the B1 powers the B2.

Marussia B2 Front

Marussia B2 Side

Marussia B2 Wheels

Marussia B2 Back

Marussia B2 Interior

Marussia B1 Upgraded

Marussia B1 Front

Marussia B1 Back

Marussia B1 Backlights

Marussia B1 Muffler

Marussia B1 Wheels

Marussia B1 Interior

Marussia B1 Red - Upgraded

Marussia B1 Design Front

Marussia B1 Front

Marussia B1 Back

Marussia B1 Side

Marussia B1 Side Mirrors

Marussia – The First Russian Supercar

spanic — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:08:34 +0000

Nikolay Fomenko, who was probably busy enough being a popular singer, television new anchor and theater actor, also found time to become an FIA N-GT champion. And if that was not enough to keep this Russian renaissance man busy, he has just launched his country’s first sportscar company, Marussia. To top it off, it’s a hybrid, just to make things more difficult.

Fomenko states that he brought a lot of knowledge from his racing career to bear on the Marussia. We see elements of just about every supercar on the market in its appearance, but it manages to still look unique. While he envisions producing a pure electric car sometime down the road, the company’s first project will be a hybrid.

The Marussia is slated to use a 240-hp, 3.5-liter six-cylinder engine, most likely from Renault or Nissan, but it’s unclear where the electric drive components will originate from. While much of the car’s parts are expected to be sourced from established companies, approximately 35% of the content will be Russian.

Adding a bit of sizzle to its speed, the Marussia will also have “a host of gadgets,” including a 4G Yota network with 10 Mbps data transfer rates at vehicle speeds of up to 120 km/h. Bluetooth, GPS and video screens all around, plus a 320 GB hard drive to round out the electronics.

The goal for the electric supercar is a 400km range, but Russian winters mean the batteries will need a boost. That’s where nanotechnology comes in. Fomenko thinks the solution might be in a “nanotech project made at one of Russia’s big construction bureaus.” The company foresees a 0-62 mph dash of around five seconds and a Tesla-like price tag of $100,000. Plans call for the first customer cars to be delivered next Fall, with race versions taking part in the 2010 edition of FIA GT championship. Fomenko is clearly nothing if not ambitious.

And…lets top this off with some pictures.