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. 2010 Sep 27;54(7):728–746. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/meq022

Table 3.

Characteristics of the mining facilities

Mining facility—ore type (year of first diesel use) Workersa (n) Decade Mining method Decade mean of ADJ HP underground (min and max) Decade mean of total exhaust airflow rate undergroundb (kcfm) (min–max)
A—limestone (1947) 1684 1940s Cv/H 647 (644–649) NA
1950s Cv/H 1158 (649–1615) NA
1960s Cv/H 2119 (1273–4829) NA
1970s Cv/H 5738 (5016–6096) NA
1980s Cv/H 7082 (6471–7789) NA
1990s Cv/H 8559 (7995–9105) NA
B—potash (1964) 899 1960s Cv/Con 202 (75–268) 229 (125–250)
1970s Cv/Con, Ct 425 (263–761) 250 (250–250)
1980s Ct 795 (433–907) 250 (250–250)
1990s Ct 488 (461–527) 250 (250–250)
D—potash (1950) 2105 1950s Cv/H 76 (26–191) 310 (310–310)
1960s Cv/Con 462 (246–598) 310 (310–310)
1970s Cv/Con 1598 (557–2313) 310 (310–310)
1980s Cv/Con 2549 (2360–2741) 490 (310–620)
1990s Cv/Con, Ct 2865 (2754–3402) 664 (600–700)
E—salt (1959) 548 1959 Cv/H 125 160
1960s Cv/H 1503 (227–2296) 160 (160–160)
1970s Cv/H 2509 (2370–2705) 172 (160–200)
1980s Cv/H 2527 (1928–2846) 228 (208–247)
1990s Cv/H 1936 (1752–2058) 266 (236–286)
G—trona (1962) 1167 1960s Cv/Con 350 (39–64) 212 (200–235)
1970s Cv/Con 813 (694–871) 293 (212–350)
1980s Cv/Con, Ct 674 (646–727) 481 (314–570)
1990s Cv/Con, Ct 681 (632–734) 544 (530–552)
H—trona (1967) 1937 1960s Cv/Con 423 (385–499) 300 (300–300)
1970s Cv/Con, Ct, LW 1021 (509–1329 450 (300–600)
1980s Cv/Con, Ct, LW 1103 (1034–1173) 915 (600–950)
1990s Ct 1303 (1174–1384) 1309 (950–1429)
I—trona (1956) 2453 1950s Cv/H, Con, Ct 24 (9–35) 440 (350–530)
1960s Cv/Con, Ct 81 (42–104) 547 (530–700)
1970s Cv/Con, Ct 940 (210–1270) 1079 (700–1450)
1980s Cv/Con, Ct, LW 1454 (1398–1505 1482 (1450–1630)
1990s Ct, LW 1465 (1383–1514) 1519 (1500–1670)
J—potash (1952) 1589 1950s Cv/H 84 (0–155) 132 (60–143)
1960s Cv/H & Con, Ct 289 (160–501) 187 (176–230)
1970s Cv/Con, Ct 834 (520–1085) 238 (228–240)
1980s Cv/Con, Ct 1317 (1139–1421) 239 (228–240)
1990s Ct 983 (950–1035) 240 (240–240)

Mining method: Cv/Con, conventional with conveyor belts; Cv/H, conventional with truck haulage; Ct, continuous (with conveyor belts); LW, longwall (with conveyor belts); min, minimum; max, maximum; NA, not applicable (see Table footnoteb).

a

n, Number of workers from year of dieselization (1947–1967, depending on the facility) to 31 December 1997. Subjects are only counted once based on the mining facility in which they worked the longest. A total of 1007 subjects worked in more than one facility. The numbers reflect the cohort before exclusions due to invalid birth dates and other criteria. See Results.

b

Exhaust ventilation for the underground operations in Facility A consisted of holes drilled from the surface; some holes provided natural ventilation, while others had fans. Facilities B, D, E, and J had serial ventilation. Facilities G, H, and I had parallel ventilation.