UNDERGROUND MINING IN CANADA

[JMH]

I've been underground over 20 years now..........both hard-rock and coal.

It makes me furious to hear the constant plight of the "coal miner" in this country.

Coal mining in Canada today is a FAR STRETCH from the toils of those that preceeded us. I'll gladley take a job in a coal mine over that in a hard rock mine these days(if the pay was even reasonable) . Coal mines are mechanized opperations, and apart from getting dirty (black) the miners are on relative "easy street" unless they get stupid.

I challenge these men to work their way-up in the conventional "hard-rock" feild of mining (and I've worked both) to see how they stand-up. Real work...........by your self...........no one to look after you........and no one what so ever for "miles underground" to care. No folks, I'm not talking about 500 meter declines to the dirt............I'm talking thousands of feet/perhaps over a mile into the abyss; wrestling a 120lb drill on your own, along with all relavant services (air/water/ventilation/supplies) and finish/start your day with the control of the ground above you....................Oh sorry, I have to pack my own explosives to the working face, load them and wire them for my blast component$$$$$$. Thats how I make money...........and no we dont have to deal with methane so much.........but no-one does if they are proffesionals.

After 14 years of mine rescue involevment, its time for Canadians to shift their perceptions in this regard.

Logging kills more people than anything. It's time to get real with the stats, and leave the traditional stuff for folks that have a vested interest in telling you otherwise.