Coal Mines's primary photo
  • Modern Marvels Coal Mines (Season 9, Episode 13)
  • TV-14
    TV Episode | Documentary, History

Modern Marvels

Coal Mines (Season 9, Episode 13)
TV-14
TV Episode | Documentary, History
Coal is the fuel that is responsible for more than half the electricity we use on a daily basis. "Modern Marvels: Coal Mines" traces the amazing technological advances that have led to today's extremely efficient methods of mining this ...See moreCoal is the fuel that is responsible for more than half the electricity we use on a daily basis. "Modern Marvels: Coal Mines" traces the amazing technological advances that have led to today's extremely efficient methods of mining this resource from the earth. We first go underground with the miners in a shaft mine in West Virginia to witness a huge machine rip apart a wall of coal as one miner maneuvers the machine with a remote control. In another mine in Pennsylvania, we see the most advanced method of underground coal mining at work -- longwall mining. A massive machine extracts an entire wall of coal in just seconds. Then we travel back in time to explore ancient coal mining techniques when laborers used primitive tools to pick at the coal wherever they could find it. The coal was used to warm their homes and to bake their pottery. By the 13th Century, coal started to slowly replace wood as the main source of fuel as the European forests begin to dwindle. In the next several hundred years, mining methods slowly evolved in an attempt to keep up with the growing demand for coal. First, the simplistic bell pit method was developed in which miners dug shallow narrow shafts straight down and carried the coal out. Then tunnels started to appear as miners developed drift mining. By the 1800's, as the miners started to dig deeper, disasters occurred. Roof cave-ins and methane gas explosions killed thousands of miners. Eventually, new methods were developed to help prevent these ... See less
Read more: Plot summary
Writers
Hildie Katibah | Bruce Nash (creator)
Composer
Alan Ett
Editor
Shelly Stocking
See all filmmakers & crew (42)
Status
Edit Released
Updated Apr 2, 2003
Release date
Apr 2, 2003 (United States)
Awards
Series awards
1 win & 1 nomination

Contacts

+ Add

Become a member to see contact information for Coal Mines.

Cast

 + Add Cast
11 cast members
Name Known for
Curtis Belden's primary photo
Curtis Belden
Self - Manager, Operations Support, Powder River Coal Co. Self - Manager, Operations Support, Powder River Coal Co.   See fewer
Modern Marvels (1993)
Dwight Evans's primary photo
Dwight Evans
Self - Executive Vice President, Southern Company Self - Executive Vice President, Southern Company   See fewer
Modern Marvels (1993)
Christopher Haycocks's primary photo
Christopher Haycocks
Self - Professor of Mining Engineering, Virginia Tech Self - Professor of Mining Engineering, Virginia Tech   See fewer
Modern Marvels (1993)
Daniel Lashof's primary photo
Daniel Lashof
Self - Science Director, Natural Resources Defense Council Self - Science Director, Natural Resources Defense Council   See fewer
Modern Marvels (1993)
Marion Loomis's primary photo
Marion Loomis
Self - Executive Director, Wyoming Mining Association Self - Executive Director, Wyoming Mining Association   See fewer
Modern Marvels (1993)
Stuart McGhee's primary photo
Stuart McGhee
Self - Professor of History, West Virginia State College Self - Professor of History, West Virginia State College   See fewer
Modern Marvels (1993)
Randy McMillion's primary photo
Randy McMillion
Self - President, Riverton Coal Production Self - President, Riverton Coal Production   See fewer
Modern Marvels (1993)
Bill Raney's primary photo
Bill Raney
Self - President, West Virginia Coal Association Self - President, West Virginia Coal Association   See fewer
The Last Mountain (2011)
Stuart Schuman's primary photo
Stuart Schuman
Self - Coal Miner, Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine Self - Coal Miner, Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine   See fewer
Modern Marvels (1993)
Lloyd Sherr's primary photo
Lloyd Sherr
Narrator (as Max Raphael) Narrator (as Max Raphael)   See fewer
Cars 3 (2017)
Michael Tiller's primary photo
Michael Tiller
Self - Continuous Miner Operator, Camp Creek Mine Self - Continuous Miner Operator, Camp Creek Mine   See fewer
Torn (II) (2010)
There was an issue loading this tab.
There was an issue loading this tab.
There was an issue loading this tab.
There was an issue loading this tab.
There was an issue loading this tab.
There was an issue loading this tab.
There was an issue loading this tab.
There was an issue loading this tab.

MOVIEmeter

Members only

Become a member to access additional data

Ratings Breakdown

+ Add external reviews