Mining in Methane

摘要

According to a report: in the Financial Times (3 February 1 971) tests will soon be made in the United States of a safety system where a mine will be entirely filled with methane, with all air excluded since methane will only explode when mixed with air. Miners would work in the all-gas atmosphere inside air-filled suits like those used by moon explorers. The tests are to see if they can do useful work while wearing the 30- Ib. suits. The compressed airsupply would be carried on the mining equipment and exhausted air would be pumped back into containers, not released into the mine atmosphere.