Experimental Mine, U.S. Bureau of Mines

United States historic place


Experimental Mine, U.S. Bureau of Mines
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Dedication of the Experimental Mine, 1910.
Show map of PennsylvaniaShow map of the United States
Location	South of Bruceton, off Cochran Mill Rd.
Nearest city	Bruceton, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	40°18′18.08″N 79°58′51.49″W / 40.3050222°N 79.9809694°W / 40.3050222; -79.9809694
Built	1910
Architect	U.S. Bureau of Mines
NRHP reference No.	74001732
Added to NRHP	October 18, 1974

Experimental Mine, U.S. Bureau of Mines is a landmark located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Bruceton, Pennsylvania. In 1910, the newly created U.S. Bureau of Mines leased a 38-acre tract of land from the Pittsburgh Coal Company and opened the Experimental Mine.

One of the early findings in the Experimental Mine demonstrated that coal dust by itself was capable of propagating an explosion even in the absence of any methane gas. This demonstration was contrary to the old belief widely held at the time that coal dust could not explode without gas. This view had led to the very dangerous and widespread practice of using loose coal dust in mines to pack explosives in boreholes, which had cost many thousands of lives. These early experiments clearly proved that such a practice was too hazardous to continue.

Current facilities

By 1999 the complex made the transition to lab and office space as part of the National Energy Technology Laboratory network throughout the United States. The complex is home to three major agencies including the Federal Energy Technology Center (U.S. Department of Energy), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control), and the Mine Safety & Health Administration (U.S. Department of Labor). Over one thousand government and contractor employees worked at the site by 2000.

References

"National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
"NIOSH Mining". October 24, 2023.
"About NETL". Archived from the original on December 20, 2008. Retrieved November 15, 2008.
Clements, M.E. (1927). "Uncle Sam's Toy Coal Mine". Popular Science (July): 36. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
"NETL: Energizing the Region". Archived from the original on September 10, 2013. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
"Pittsburgh Tech Council". Archived from the original on November 20, 2013. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
"Home".

External links

C-SPAN program on the mine

v t e US National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania
Topics	Contributing property Keeper of the Register Historic district History of the National Register of Historic Places National Park Service Property types
Lists by county	Adams Allegheny Armstrong Beaver Bedford Berks Blair Bradford Bucks Butler Cambria Cameron Carbon Centre Chester East North South Clarion Clearfield Clinton Columbia Crawford Cumberland Dauphin Delaware Elk Erie Fayette Forest Franklin Fulton Greene Huntingdon Indiana Jefferson Juniata Lackawanna Lancaster Lawrence Lebanon Lehigh Luzerne Lycoming McKean Mercer Mifflin Monroe Montgomery Montour Northampton Northumberland Perry Philadelphia Pike Potter Schuylkill Snyder Somerset Sullivan Susquehanna Tioga Union Venango Warren Washington Wayne Westmoreland Wyoming York
Lists by city	Pittsburgh Lancaster Philadelphia Center City North Northeast Northwest South Southwest West
Other lists	European archaeological sites Native American archaeological sites Bridges (covered) National Historic Landmarks (Philadelphia)
Category NRHP portal

Greater Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh–New Castle–Weirton combined statistical area

Counties

in Maryland	Garrett
in Ohio	Jefferson
in Pennsylvania	Allegheny Armstrong Beaver Butler Fayette Indiana Lawrence Washington Westmoreland
in West Virginia	Brooke Hancock