GAG machine in operation at Pike River Mine

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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/video ... _id=115641

The mine blew up killing 29 miners, then it caught fire. The GAG machine is a modified jet engine that pumps water vapour and exhaust gases (so low Oxygen) into the mine to try and put out the fire which seems to be in the coal seam now (which is pretty bad). They also just obtained and have started using a 20 ton Floxal nitrogen generator which is pumping nitrogen into the mine in tandem with the GAG. Its looking like it might take four months to put the fire out and enable people to go back in there to retrieve whatever is left of the miners, as the coalface and seat of the fire is 2Km from the entrance.

I'm in NZ and have been following that. They've now got a nitrogen machine in the works, though complications with that have occurred.

On a separate note, the mining company misinterpreted the data on gas levels in the coal and underestimated them in it's prospectus. Fortunately it was only 29 miners, on a busy day there are around 200 underground at one time.

The company is now in receivership and the mine closed indefinitely.