Numerical

Coal Mining

30 Dec 1986

On this day, a mining tradition dating back to 1911 ended: the use of canaries in coal mines to detect carbon monoxide and other toxic gases before they hurt humans. The idea of using canaries is credited to John Scott Haldane, known to some as “the father of oxygen therapy.” He suggested using a sentinel species: an animal more sensitive to the colorless, odorless carbon monoxide and other poisonous gases than humans. If the animal became ill or died, that would give miners a warning to evacuate.

On this day, a mining tradition dating back to 1911 ended: the use of canaries in coal mines to detect carbon monoxide and other toxic gases before they hurt humans. The idea of using canaries is credited to John Scott Haldane, known to some as “the father of oxygen therapy.” He suggested using a sentinel species: an animal more sensitive to the colorless, odorless carbon monoxide and other poisonous gases than humans. If the animal became ill or died, that would give miners a warning to evacuate.

Last Modified: 06-Aug-2020 9:04 AM

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Posted by Numerical Team in Business & Industry

Tags Coal Mining

Source Smithsonian Magazine | Photo credits: George McCaa, U.S. Bureau of Mines

1774

Year coal was first mined in India at what is now Eastern Coalfields Ltd. (ECL) Raniganj mine. The mine was acquired by Dwarkanath Tagore, the grandfather of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, in 1832.

Last Modified: 28-Mar-2020 10:15 PM

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Posted by Coal Numerical in History

Tags Coal Mining India Eastern Coalfields Ltd.

Source Financial Express | Anupam Chatterjee