Zasyadko coal mine
Encyclopedia
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
company in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
's eastern city of Donetsk
Donetsk
Donetsk , is a large city in eastern Ukraine on the Kalmius river. Administratively, it is a center of Donetsk Oblast, while historically, it is the unofficial capital and largest city of the economic and cultural Donets Basin region...
. The manager and alleged owner of the company is Yukhym Zvyahilsky
Yukhym Zvyahilsky
Yukhym Leonidovych Zvyahilsky is a Ukrainian politician. He was appointed acting Prime Minister on September 22, 1993...
, influential businessman and politician within the Party of Regions
Party of Regions
The Party of Regions is an Ukrainian political party created on October 26, 1997 just prior to the 1998 Ukrainian parliamentary elections under the name of Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine. It was reformed later in 2001 when the party united with several others...
. Along with its economic, technological and political importance, the company, namely its coal mine, is infamous for being the site of repeated mining accident
Mining accident
A mining accident is an accident that occurs during the process of mining minerals.Thousands of miners die from mining accidents each year, especially in the processes of coal mining and hard rock mining...
s with numerous fatalities. The deadliest disaster
2007 Zasyadko mine disaster
The 2007 Zasyadko mine disaster was a mining accident that happened on November 18, 2007 at the Zasyadko coal mine in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk.At present, 101 miners are dead:the worst accident in Ukraine’s history...
, the worst in Ukraine’s history, happened on November 18, 2007, killing 101 miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
s.
History
Production at the mine began in 1958, which makes Zasyadko one of the newest and best-equipped mines in Donbas coal region and the whole Ukraine. Since foundation, the mine is named after Alexander Zasyadko, one of the SovietSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Ministers of Coal Industry.
In 1992, Zasyadko Mine was turned into a "rented enterprise" (practically privatised by the employees) together with several auxiliary industries. Yukhym Zvyahilsky
Yukhym Zvyahilsky
Yukhym Leonidovych Zvyahilsky is a Ukrainian politician. He was appointed acting Prime Minister on September 22, 1993...
, the then-manager of the mine and influential local businessman, retained his post and gained informal control of the new company's assets. Mr. Zvyahilsky has been the acting Prime Minister of Ukraine
Prime Minister of Ukraine
The Prime Minister of Ukraine is Ukraine's head of government presiding over the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which is the highest body of the executive branch of the Ukrainian government....
for a short time in early 1990s and a member of the Verkhovna Rada
Verkhovna Rada
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is Ukraine's parliament. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral parliament composed of 450 deputies, which is presided over by a chairman...
(parliament) of all convocations. He is known as an influential member of the ruling Party of Regions
Party of Regions
The Party of Regions is an Ukrainian political party created on October 26, 1997 just prior to the 1998 Ukrainian parliamentary elections under the name of Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine. It was reformed later in 2001 when the party united with several others...
.
Today, Zasyadko is one of the most successful companies in Ukraine's crumbling coal industry, 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. It has also expanded into other fields of local industry and commerce.
Mining dangers
The Zasyadko Mine is one of the most dangerous coal mines in the world due to naturally high levels of gas (particularly methaneMethane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
) and coal dust
Coal dust
Coal dust is a fine powdered form of coal, which is created by the crushing, grinding, or pulverizing of coal. Because of the brittle nature of coal, coal dust can be created during mining, transportation, or by mechanically handling coal.-Explosions:...
explosion
Explosion
An explosion is a rapid increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme manner, usually with the generation of high temperatures and the release of gases. An explosion creates a shock wave. If the shock wave is a supersonic detonation, then the source of the blast is called a "high explosive"...
hazards. 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. According to the management, the mine is equipped with up-to-date and continuously renovated safety-monitoring systems.
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
Safety standards
Safety standards are standards designed to ensure the safety of products, activities or processes, etc. They may be advisory or compulsory and are normally laid down by an advisory or regulatory body that may be either voluntary or statutory...
, and so to prevent closure by the government inspectors.
President Yushchenko
Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko is a former President of Ukraine. He took office on January 23, 2005, following a period of popular unrest known as the Orange Revolution...
blamed the cabinet for failing to “implement safe-mining practices” in the coal industry.
Accidents
The Zasyadko Mine has had seven serious mining accidents:- May 1999 – 50 workers killed, 40 injured.
- August 2001 – 55 workers killed, 34 injured.
- July 2002 – 20 workers killed, two injured.
- September 20, 2006 – 13 workers killed, 62 injured.
- November 18, 2007 – 101 workers killed, dozens injured (2007 Zasyadko mine disaster2007 Zasyadko mine disasterThe 2007 Zasyadko mine disaster was a mining accident that happened on November 18, 2007 at the Zasyadko coal mine in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk.At present, 101 miners are dead:the worst accident in Ukraine’s history...
). - December 1, 2007 – 52 workers injured.
- December 2, 2007 – five workers killed, 30 injured.