Eastern shaft of the Zasyadko Mine. Shaft mining or Shaft sinking refers to the method of excavating a vertical or near-vertical tunnel from the top down where there is initially no access to the bottom Local cemetery seen on the foreground.

Location of Donetsk (red) and Donetsk Oblast (pink) on the map of Ukraine. Donetsk (Донецьк translit Donets’k; Доне́цк translit Donetsk Oblast (Донецька область Donets’ka oblast’; also referred to as Donechchyna — Донеччина is an oblast (province Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe.

Zasyadko Mine (Ukrainian: Шахта ім. Ukrainian (in Ukrainian украї́нська мо́ва ukrayins'ka mova,) is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. Засядько) is a coal mining company in Ukraine's eastern city of Donetsk. Coal mining is the extraction or removal of Coal from the Earth by Mining. Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. Donetsk (Донецьк translit Donets’k; Доне́цк translit The manager and alleged owner of the company is Yukhym Zvyahilsky, influential businessman and politician within the Party of Regions. Yukhym Leonidovych Zvyahilsky (Юхим Леонідович Звягільський Russian: Efim Zvyagilsky) (born 20 February 1933) is a The Party of Regions (Партія регіонів rɛɦi'ɔniu̯ Партия регионов is a Ukrainian Political party created in March 2001 Along with its economic, technological and political importance, the company, namely its coal mine, is infamous for being the site of repeated mining accidents with numerous fatalities. A mining accident is an Accident that occurs in the process of Mining minerals The deadliest disaster, the worst in Ukraine’s history, happened on November 18, 2007, killing 101 miners. The 2007 Zasyadko mine disaster was a Mining accident that happened on November 18, 2007 at the Zasyadko coal mine (Шахта ім Events 326 - The old St Peter's Basilica is consecrated 1302 - Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Mining is the extraction of valuable Minerals or other geological materials from the earth usually (but not always from an Ore body ^[1]

History

Production at the mine began in 1958^[2], which makes Zasyadko one of the newest and best-equipped mines in Donbas coal region and the whole Ukraine. Donets Basin, also known as Donbas or Donbass (Донецький басейн usually abbreviated to Донбас translit ^[3] Since foundation, the mine is named after Alexander Zasyadko, one of the Soviet Ministers of Coal Industry. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991

In 1992, Zasyadko Mine was turned into a "rented enterprise" (practically privatised by the employees) together with several auxiliary industries. ^[4] Yukhym Zvyahilsky, the then-manager of the mine and influential local businessman, retained his post and gained informal control of the new company's assets. Yukhym Leonidovych Zvyahilsky (Юхим Леонідович Звягільський Russian: Efim Zvyagilsky) (born 20 February 1933) is a ^[5][6] Mr. Zvyahilsky has been the acting Prime Minister of Ukraine for a short time in early 1990s and a member of the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) of all convocations. The Prime Minister of Ukraine (Прем'єр-міністр України Prem'ier-ministr Ukrayiny) presides over the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Верховна Рада України English: Supreme Council of Ukraine) is Ukraine 's Parliament He is known as an influential member of the ruling Party of Regions. The Party of Regions (Партія регіонів rɛɦi'ɔniu̯ Партия регионов is a Ukrainian Political party created in March 2001 ^[7][8][9]

Today, Zasyadko is one of the most successful companies in Ukraine's crumbling coal industry,^[10] able to support high volumes of coal excavation and maintain stable salaries for the miners. As of 2003, the company produced 4 million tonnes of coal. ^[11] It has also expanded into other fields of local industry and commerce. ^[12]

Mining dangers

The Zasyadko Mine is one of the most dangerous coal mines in the world due to naturally high levels of gas (particularly methane) and coal dust explosion hazards. Coal mining is the extraction or removal of Coal from the Earth by Mining. Methane is a Chemical compound with the molecular formula. It is the simplest Alkane, and the principal component of Natural gas. Coal dust is a fine powdered form of Coal, which is created by the crushing grinding or pulverizing of coal An explosion is a sudden increase in Volume and release of Energy in an extreme manner usually with the generation of high Temperatures and the release ^[13][14] Additionally, gradual exhaustion made the mine as large as having 6 shafts and, most importantly, very deep. As of 2004, depths of excavation varied from 529m to 1270m. ^[15] According to the management, the mine is equipped with up-to-date and continuously renovated safety-monitoring systems. ^[16]

However, an independent mining expert recently claimed that the company is interfering with its hazard-measuring equipment on a regular basis, in order to present underground situation as being within the safety standards, and so to prevent closure by the government inspectors. Measurement is the process of estimating the magnitude of some attribute of an object such as its length or weight relative to some standard ( unit of measurement) such as Safety standards are standards designed to ensure the Safety of products activities or processes etc ^[17] President Yushchenko blamed the cabinet for failing to “implement safe-mining practices” in the coal industry. Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko ( Ukrainian: Viktor Andrijovyč Juščenko) (born February 23 1954) is the third and current President of ^[18]

Accidents

The Zasyadko Mine has had seven serious mining accidents:

• May 1999 – 50 workers killed, 40 injured. ^[18][19][20]
• August 2001 – 55 workers killed, 34 injured.
• July 2002 – 20 workers killed, two injured.
• September 20, 2006 – 13 workers killed, 62 injured. Events 451 - The Battle of Chalons takes place in North Eastern France. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
• November 18, 2007 – 101 workers killed, dozens injured (2007 Zasyadko mine disaster). Events 326 - The old St Peter's Basilica is consecrated 1302 - Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The 2007 Zasyadko mine disaster was a Mining accident that happened on November 18, 2007 at the Zasyadko coal mine (Шахта ім ^[1]
• December 1, 2007 – 52 workers injured. Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[21][22]
• December 2, 2007 – five workers killed, 30 injured. Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[23]

References