How has coal mining changed since the early 1900s?

Answer 1

Everything in life is dangerous, mining is one of the most dangerous and dirty jobs. Mining has grown in so many ways since it began long before the medieval times. Mining is considered a profession, one of the oldest on this earth. Mining in the medieval times was mostly for lead, which was their primary recourse at the time. Mining times have drastically changed from medieval ages to the early 1900s but most of the major advancements and safety regulations are the more recent modern mining techniques.

The lead miners were always a distinct community during the medieval period. Both English and Welsh men worked together on the mines. (Wrexam and Wrecasm) The miners of medieval times were normally farmers this is evident because mining stopped during harvest season and winter. (Wrexam and Wrecasm) Medieval miners were very Democratic; this meaning they voted on positions throughout the mining process. When a new "hotspot" was found they elected a Bermaster. The job of a Bermaster was to divide up what was found, evenly and fairly. (Wrexam and Wrecasm) Miners didn't have specific jobs, they partook in all aspects of mining, weather they were in the tunnels, or separating the valuables from the waste, every job was important. (Wrexam and Wrecasm) Being a miner was tough; it involved hard work, dedication and it often stooped to risky measures.

In the medieval times there were many risks to mining. During those times mines weren't very deep they were made by the workers and all that they had was the tools they crafted. Most of the mining population consisted of farmers. Since they were farmers they used what they already had, wheel barrows to haul shovels to dig and so on. Most of the injuries happened from these tools, the sharp shovel hitting or cutting another worker is a strong example. The more major injuries were from the small mines collapsing. Many a worker died from the collapsing of the celling in the medieval times. Miners woke up with their families and left those to go work hopeful discover something. The promise of returning home could never be made because so many things could happen most of them being simple accidents, the tragedies of mining.

The definition of mining is the removal of ores from the earth and the creation of tunnels. Miners developed tools for digging, hauling, and splitting. (Downs) Tools such as shovels, pikes, hoes, picks and wedges. Medieval miners would separate the ore from the seam with a pick tool and break it away with a hammer or wedge. (Downs) In medieval times they had little to no ventilation, the only way to make the air circulate was to simply wave a rag in the air. Mines during the medieval ages were often small because of the lack of ventilation. Mining in medieval times were truly tough.

Mining work done even in the early 1900s was extremely dangerous, even life threatening. With very little safety regulations' mining was extremely risky. (Joe Hill- Dangers ) The lives of miners were considered one of the costs of doing business. Other than explosions there were some risks that would take a huge toil of the miner's physical life. (Joe Hill- Dangers ) The most common one being, black lung which was a common disease a miner caught from breathing in the dusts and impurities in from the mines. Black lung almost always resulted in a tragic death. (Joe Hill- Dangers ) Mining was and still is a life threatening.

Many immigrant men worked in mines in the early 1900s. Once working for a mine as an immigrant every second of your day was controlled by the mining company. (Service) The company was your employer, they were your land lord and you acquired your groceries from there company stores. Your life depended on your job. (Service) Quitting or getting fired meant putting your family out on the streets. This kind of imprisonment was on all mine campuses and most took a huge toil from the panic of 1907. Mines controlled there workers lives in every aspect.

The late

The modern mining industry has leveraged new technology and is on its way to becoming one of the safest basic industries. They now use state-of-the-art equipment and they are protected more than ever. Mining operations employ 350,000 people nationwide and pay there employees 38% a year more than most companies. (National Mining Accociation) Most mines today mine raw minerals and coal because they are the most demanded. Mining in the United States takes place in all fifty states. Now day's miners mine for everything from gold mines in Alaska to sand and gravel mines in Florida. (National Mining Accociation) Mining has become a huge industry and has become so much safer than the early years.

There have been very few mining accidents in recent years. Most people didn't pay any mind to mining until the huge mining scare in Chile. But with the safety advances the miners that were locked underground were able to sustain life with a capsule used for safety reasons. It was there so that in the occasion that the mine collapsed they would retreat to this capsule. Mining was put back on the maps after this incident that happened just last year in twenty eleven. With the advances that have been made over the years everything has been improved, from the way things are found, the way they are cleaned to the way there transported. Miners have masks in some situations to prevent them from breathing in the impurities and catching diseases. The advances that have been made since the beginning of mining are huge and weren't even fathomable. Mining has become an extremely popular business and a huge job market.

Mining has grown so much; it flown by many milestones and has become mu

ch safer. Mining in the medieval (Joe Hill- Dangers ) (Service) (National Mining Accociation) (Downs) (Wrexam and Wrecasm) times and the early 1900s brought many dangers. The mines of medieval times the early 1900s were horrible compared to modern mines. Many people died in mines. Modern mining has brought safer jobs and many Americans are employed in mine.