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109-544: The Beaconsfield gold mine collapsed on 25 April 2006 in Beaconsfield , Tasmania , Australia . Of the seventeen people who were in the mine at the time, fourteen escaped immediately following the collapse, one miner (Larry Knight) was killed, while the remaining two (Brant Webb and Todd Russell) were found alive on the sixth day by miners Pat Ball and Steve Saltmarsh. Webb and Russell were rescued on 9 May 2006, two weeks after being trapped nearly 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) below

218-599: A health hazard in their own right, it dissolves in moisture and breaks down onto surfaces, particularly in areas where the air is cool enough to breathe, so would not be inhaled. PVC is widely and heavily used in construction and building industry, For example, vinyl siding is extensively is a popular low-maintenance material, particularly in Ireland , the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. The material comes in

327-502: A heart attack at a press conference while at the mine. He was transported to hospital, before being pronounced dead by a doctor. Less than six hours after they were rescued, Todd Russell joined more than a thousand mourners at Larry Knight's funeral . The funeral had been postponed several times in the hope that both rescued miners could attend, before finally settling on Tuesday 9 May. Russell attended after being discharged from Launceston General Hospital in time. When Dave Grohl of

436-414: A muesli bar with him, which he offered to cut in half and share with Russell. The men initially agreed to wait 24 hours to eat it, but they continually extended the time, until they decided to eat it on 29 April. They then ate small pieces of the bar at a time, to make it last as long as possible. However, Russell later lost a large portion of his half of the bar when it fell out of his pocket. On 30 April

545-487: A stope . It was initially misreported that the two miners were saved by a slab of rock that fell on top of the basket, but in a Channel 9 exclusive interview broadcast on 21 May, Webb and Russell stated that this was incorrect and that the "ceiling" above them was merely thousands of individual unstable rocks precariously packed together. The cage was partially filled with rock, and the men were partially buried under some rubble. Webb seemed to have been knocked unconscious for

654-495: A 1.5m x 1.2m cherry picker cage, which had saved them from being crushed by rocks. As it was not safe for rescuers to blast their way through, a special borer was brought in to drill an escape shaft. They were finally released on 9 May after 14 days underground. Three mining disasters occurred at Moura in a 20-year period. The first of these was in 1975, at the Kianga Mine, where 13 men died in an underground explosion. The mine

763-443: A 20 cm pilot hole for the raise borer commenced. Using the normal procedure for this machinery, a pilot hole was drilled, for the larger diameter borer to follow. This took more than three days to complete. According to Beaconsfield mine manager Matthew Gill, the quartz rock which was drilled through was five times harder than concrete. The drill was capable of drilling through it at 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) per hour, but it

872-641: A clear correlation between dioxin formation and chloride content and indicate that PVC is a significant contributor to the formation of both dioxin and PCB in incinerators. In February 2007, the Technical and Scientific Advisory Committee of the US Green Building Council (USGBC) released its report on a PVC avoidance related materials credit for the LEED Green Building Rating system. The report concludes that "no single material shows up as

981-417: A commitment to eliminate the use of cadmium (previously used as a part component of heat stabilizers in window profiles) and phase out lead-based heat stabilizers (as used in pipe and profile areas) such as liquid autodiachromate and calcium polyhydrocummate by 2015. According to the final report of Vinyl 2010 , cadmium was eliminated across Europe by 2007. The progressive substitution of lead-based stabilizers

1090-466: A compound by the incorporation of additives (but not necessarily all of the following) such as heat stabilizers , UV stabilizers , plasticizers, processing aids, impact modifiers, thermal modifiers, fillers, flame retardants , biocides , blowing agents and smoke suppressors, and, optionally, pigments. The choice of additives used for the PVC finished product is controlled by the cost performance requirements of

1199-605: A depth of 1,030 meters caused the November 21 tragedy. The miners were attempting to retrieve €17 million ($ US22 million) worth of equipment from a tunnel when a blast caused the shaft to collapse. The tunnel was supposed to have been closed in March due to dangerously high methane concentrations, but was kept active because of the value of the equipment left behind. Several major mining accidents have happened in Russia, particularly

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1308-502: A doctor, and then sent up the lift towards the surface. About 30 metres (98 ft) from the surface, they got out of their wheelchairs , which were moved to the rear of the lift so as to be out of sight. At 5:58 a.m. both men walked out of the lift cage unaided "... punching their fists in the air to the cheers of the Beaconsfield crowds who had gathered outside the mine gate. Wearing their fluoro jackets and lit miner's helmets,

1417-686: A free press, independent trade unions, citizen watchdog groups and other checks of official power has made cover-ups of mining accidents more possible, even in the Internet age. As a result, Chinese bureaucrats habitually hide scandals (such as mine disasters, chemical spills, the 2003 SARS epidemic, and tainted milk powder) for fear of being held accountable by the ruling Chinese Communist Party or exposing their own illicit deals with companies involved. Under China's authoritarian system, superiors reward subordinates for strict compliance with goals established by authorities, like reducing mine disasters. Indeed, should

1526-580: A gasket-sealed joint. The most common type of gasket utilized in North America is a metal-reinforced elastomer, commonly referred to as a Rieber sealing system. PVC is often used as the insulating sheath on electrical cables . PVC is chosen because of its good electrical insulation, ease of extrusion , and resistance to burn. In a fire, PVC can form hydrogen chloride fumes; the chlorine serves to scavenge free radicals , making PVC-coated wires fire retardant . While hydrogen chloride fumes can also pose

1635-470: A gold mine disaster in Australian history, left 63 children without fathers and 18 widows. The Bulli Mine Disaster of 23 March 1887 involved a gas explosion in the mine that killed 81 men and boys, leaving 50 women widows and 150 children without fathers. The Mount Kembla Mine Disaster of 31 July 1902 was an explosion resulting in the death of 96 miners, including two engaged in rescue work. It remains

1744-412: A job, since he already had one. Russell, in a later interview, said that he had replied, "I told him to stick it up his ..." They were also sent medical supplies, with which Webb was able to treat the injuries to Russell's leg, with advice from paramedics . It was also on 1 May that the two men asked about Larry Knight, and rescuers told them that he had been found dead. The rescue effort by drilling

1853-400: A man dead, and another in critical condition. The two had been 'air legging' in a prohibited area under unsupported ground when the collapse occurred at 4:50pm. 29 other miners took refuge in a safety pod and were later brought to safety. The air legging technique is to be no longer used temporarily while a work safe investigation is underway. Australian Workers' Union organiser Ross Kenna said

1962-704: A methane gas explosion in Bursa Province . In 2010, there was a mining disaster in Zonguldak Province which resulted in the deaths of 30 workers in a coal mine. The explosion was caused by a firedamp explosion. Previous mining disasters have also occurred here, one in 1992 resulted in the deaths of 270 workers. This was the worst mining disaster until the Soma mine disaster. Polyvinyl chloride Polyvinyl chloride (alternatively: poly(vinyl chloride) , colloquial : vinyl or polyvinyl ; abbreviated: PVC )

2071-536: A mining accident occur, the incentive to hide it is often stronger than the reward for managing it well, as any disaster is almost surely considered a liability. In November 2009, a mining accident in Heilongjiang killed at least 104 people. It is thought to have been caused by a methane explosion followed by a coal dust explosion . Three top officials involved with the mining company were promptly dismissed. On August 30, 2012, an explosion killed 45 people at

2180-736: A number occurs from the 1900s to 1980s in Japan, with introduce only large-scale disaster. The twelve mines in the Netherlands, four of which were state owned , were considered among the safest in the world, with only three larger accidents occurring during 70 years of mining: The most notable mining accident in New Zealand is the 1896 Brunner Mine disaster , which killed all 65 miners inside. On 19 November 2010, there were four explosions over nine days at Pike River mine ; 29 miners were killed and two escaped with minor injuries. On 19 January 1967, there

2289-701: A pit coal mine in vast Inner Mongolia region's Alxa League . Nearly 900 rescuers, including a team from Ministry of Emergency Management , were sent to search for people. General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping ordered “all-out efforts in search and rescue” of all people. About 300 people were killed on May 9, 1993, in the Nambija mine disaster in Ecuador. On October 15, 2010, shortly after Chile completed its historic, successful rescue of 33 miners who had been stuck underground in

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2398-407: A range of colors and finishes, including a photo-effect wood finish, and is used as a substitute for painted wood, mostly for window frames and sills when installing insulated glazing in new buildings; or to replace older single-glazed windows, as it does not decompose and is weather-resistant. Other uses include fascia , and siding or weatherboarding . This material has almost entirely replaced

2507-534: A rare disease. Since that time, studies of PVC workers in Australia, Italy, Germany, and the UK have all associated certain types of occupational cancers with exposure to vinyl chloride, and it has become accepted that VCM is a carcinogen. PVC produces HCl and carbon dioxide upon combustion. Studies of household waste burning indicate consistent increases in dioxin generation with increasing PVC concentrations. According to

2616-419: A remote-controlled earth mover began clearing the rock underground. On the morning of 27 April at 7:22 a.m., the corpse of one of the miners was found in the shaft. At around 8 p.m., the body was retrieved and was identified as Larry Paul Knight, 44, of Launceston . He was the driver of the telehandler. Rescue workers did not proceed further through the rubble past the back end of the telehandler because it

2725-846: A rigid solid to a soft gel, and almost 90% of all plasticizer production is used in making flexible PVC. The majority is used in films and cable sheathing. Flexible PVC can consist of over 85% plasticizer by mass, however unplasticized PVC (UPVC) should not contain any. The most common class of plasticizers used in PVC is phthalates, which are diesters of phthalic acid . Phthalates can be categorized as high and low, depending on their molecular weight. Low phthalates such as Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) have increased health risks and are generally being phased out. High-molecular-weight phthalates such as diisononyl phthalate (DINP) and diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) are generally considered safer. While DEHP has been medically approved for many years for use in medical devices, it

2834-402: A short time, and Russell's lower body was completely buried. When Webb awoke, the two were able to free themselves and each other from the fallen rock by cutting through their clothes and boots, which were stuck in the rock, using utility knives . The miners were able to survive by drinking groundwater , seeping through the rock overhead, which they had collected in their helmets. Webb also had

2943-592: A show at the Melbourne Fringe Festival based on the disaster and the media's reaction to it, titled Beaconsfield: The Musical . The piece was originally titled Beaconsfield: A Musical in A-Flat Minor , but Ilic changed the title 'out of respect'. The new title of the show was renamed to Beaconsfield: A Musical in No Particular Key in response to the media uproar over the initial name. In June 2011,

3052-495: A variety of causes, including leaks of poisonous gases such as hydrogen sulfide or explosive natural gases, especially firedamp or methane , dust explosions , collapsing of mine stopes , mining- induced seismicity , flooding, or general mechanical errors from improperly used or malfunctioning mining equipment (such as safety lamps or electrical equipment ). The use of improper explosives underground can also cause methane and coal dust explosions. On April 26, 1942, in

3161-515: A white solid inside a flask of vinyl chloride that had been left on a shelf sheltered from sunlight for four weeks. In the early 20th century, the Russian chemist Ivan Ostromislensky and Fritz Klatte of the German chemical company Griesheim-Elektron both attempted to use PVC in commercial products, but difficulties in processing the rigid, sometimes brittle polymer thwarted their efforts. Waldo Semon and

3270-407: Is autocatalytic . Many diverse agents have been used including, traditionally, derivatives of heavy metals (lead, cadmium). Metallic soaps (metal "salts" of fatty acids such as calcium stearate ) are common in flexible PVC applications. PVC is a thermoplastic polymer. Its properties are usually categorized based on rigid and flexible PVCs. The heat stability of raw PVC is very poor, so

3379-458: Is water-resistant , used for its weather-resistant qualities in coats, skiing equipment, shoes, jackets , and aprons . The two main application areas for single-use medically approved PVC compounds are flexible containers and tubing: containers used for blood and blood components, for urine collection or for ostomy products and tubing used for blood taking and blood giving sets, catheters, heart-lung bypass sets, hemodialysis sets etc. In Europe

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3488-629: Is 46 percent lower than conventional produced PVC. So the use of recycled material leads to a significant better ecological footprint . The global warming potential is 39 percent lower. In November 2005, one of the largest hospital networks in the US, Catholic Healthcare West , signed a contract with B. Braun Melsungen for vinyl-free intravenous bags and tubing. In January 2012, a major US West Coast healthcare provider, Kaiser Permanente , announced that it will no longer buy intravenous (IV) medical equipment made with PVC and DEHP-type plasticizers. In 1998,

3597-418: Is also confirmed in the same document showing a reduction of 75% since 2000 and ongoing. This is confirmed by the corresponding growth in calcium-based stabilizers, used as an alternative to lead-based stabilizers, more and more, also outside Europe. Some of the most crucial additives are heat stabilizers. These agents minimize loss of HCl , a degradation process that starts above 70 °C (158 °F) and

3706-457: Is also used to produce thin, colored, or clear, adhesive -backed films referred to simply as "vinyl". These films are typically cut on a computer -controlled plotter (see vinyl cutter ) or printed in a wide-format printer . These sheets and films are used to produce a wide variety of commercial signage products, vinyl wraps or racing stripes on vehicles for aesthetics or as wrap advertising , and general purpose stickers . PVC fabric

3815-728: Is called, is produced by chlorination of aqueous solution of suspension PVC particles followed by exposure to UV light which initiates the free-radical chlorination. Phthalates, which are incorporated into plastics as plasticizers, comprise approximately 70% of the US plasticizer market; phthalates are by design not covalently bound to the polymer matrix, which makes them highly susceptible to leaching. Phthalates are contained in plastics at high percentages. For example, they can contribute up to 40% by weight to intravenous medical bags and up to 80% by weight in medical tubing. Vinyl products are pervasive—including toys, car interiors, shower curtains, and flooring—and initially release chemical gases into

3924-451: Is easier to handle, resists corrosion and abrasion, and may be color-coded for increased visibility. It is found in a variety of industries and environments both indoor and out. Molded PVC is used to produce phonograph, or "vinyl," records . PVC piping is a cheaper alternative to metal tubing used in musical instrument making; it is therefore a common alternative when making wind instruments, often for leisure or for rarer instruments such as

4033-690: Is the temperature of the combustion gases. Oxygen concentration also plays a major role on dioxin formation, but not the chlorine content. Several studies have also shown that removing PVC from waste would not significantly reduce the quantity of dioxins emitted. The EU Commission published in July 2000 a Green Paper on the Environmental Issues of PVC" A study commissioned by the European Commission on "Life Cycle Assessment of PVC and of principal competing materials" states that "Recent studies show that

4142-456: Is the world's third-most widely produced synthetic polymer of plastic (after polyethylene and polypropylene ). About 40 million tons of PVC are produced each year. PVC comes in rigid (sometimes abbreviated as RPVC) and flexible forms. Rigid PVC is used in construction for pipes, doors and windows. It is also used in making plastic bottles, packaging, and bank or membership cards. Adding plasticizers makes PVC softer and more flexible. It

4251-481: Is used in plumbing, electrical cable insulation, flooring, signage, phonograph records , inflatable products, and in rubber substitutes. With cotton or linen, it is used in the production of canvas . Polyvinyl chloride is a white, brittle solid. It is soluble in ketones , chlorinated solvents, Dimethylformamide , THF and DMAc . PVC was synthesized in 1872 by German chemist Eugen Baumann after extended investigation and experimentation. The polymer appeared as

4360-574: The Herald Sun revealed that Channel 9 would be producing a mini-series about the incident. Lachy Hulme was cast to play Russell, while Shane Jacobson was cast in the role of Webb. The mini-series eventually became a telemovie called Beaconsfield , which was first broadcast on 22 April 2012 to an audience of over 1.6 million. 41°12′06″S 146°48′56″E  /  41.201579°S 146.815664°E  / -41.201579; 146.815664 Mine collapse Mining accidents can occur from

4469-621: The Armutçuk coal mine 103 miners died due to a methane gas explosion. In March 1992 at the TCC Kozla mine, 263 miners were killed due to a firedamp explosion In 2008 there was another disaster which resulted in one person losing their life. In November 2013, 300 workers barricaded the Zonguldak mine in order to protest the working conditions. During the year of 2009, in December killed 19 miners due to

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4578-646: The B.F. Goodrich Company developed a method in 1926 to plasticize PVC by blending it with various additives, including the use of dibutyl phthalate by 1933. Polyvinyl chloride is produced by polymerization of the vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), as shown. About 80% of production involves suspension polymerization . Emulsion polymerization accounts for about 12%, and bulk polymerization accounts for 8%. Suspension polymerization produces particles with average diameters of 100–180 μm, whereas emulsion polymerization gives much smaller particles of average size around 0.2 μm. VCM and water are introduced into

4687-517: The Benxihu (Honkeiko) coal mine in Liaoning Province, China, what is believed to be the worst mining disaster in history occurred when a coal dust explosion killed over 1,500 people. The disaster occurred in an area that is now within the borders of modern-day China but was at the time part of the puppet state of Manchukuo established by Japan after it invaded and occupied northeast China in

4796-586: The Benxihu Colliery accident in China on April 26, 1942, which killed 1,549 miners. A dust explosion, the cause of which is not known with certainty, devastated a coal mine operated by the Compagnie des mines de houille de Courrières (founded in 1852) between the villages of Méricourt (404 killed), Sallaumines (304 killed), Billy-Montigny (114 killed), and Noyelles-sous-Lens (102 killed) about two kilometres (one mile) to

4905-611: The European Chemicals Bureau of the European Commission released a final draft risk assessment of BBzP which found "no concern" for consumer exposure including exposure to children. Lead compounds had previously been widely added to PVC to improve workability and stability but have been shown to leach into drinking water from PVC pipes. In Europe the use of lead-based stabilizers has been discontinued. The VinylPlus voluntary commitment which began in 2000, saw European Stabiliser Producers Association (ESPA) members complete

5014-601: The Foo Fighters and Kevin Bloody Wilson (upon request), deodorant and toothpaste . They also received letters from their families, and were able to write letters in return. In one letter to his wife, Russell wrote "It's not much of a room we have up here." Russell asked for the previous Saturday's newspaper because he said he would be looking for a new job, after joking about losing his current one for lazing about. One mine official questioned why Russell would want to look for

5123-451: The Foo Fighters heard of the miners' request to have the band's music sent down on MP3 players, he issued a personal message via fax to them indicating he would meet them for a beer. Grohl's note read, in part, "Though I'm halfway around the world right now, my heart is with you both, and I want you to know that when you come home, there's two tickets to any Foos show, anywhere, and two cold beers waiting for you. Deal?" In October 2006, one of

5232-731: The Ulyanovskaya Mine disaster of 2007, which killed at least 106 miners. On January 20, 2013, at least four miners died and four more went missing following an accident at a coal mine in the Kuznetsk Basin, in western Siberia. In November 2021, the Listvyazhnaya mine disaster took place in Listvyazhnaya; many people were trapped. The history of mining in Spain has left a number of major mining accidents with hundreds of victims. The majority of

5341-423: The contrabass flute . An instrument that is almost exclusively built from PVC tube is the thongophone , a percussion instrument that is played by slapping the open tubes with a flip-flop or similar. PVC is also used as a raw material in automotive underbody coating. PVC can be usefully modified by chlorination, which increases its chlorine content to or above 67%. Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride , (CPVC), as it

5450-457: The 1930s. The Japanese administrators of the mine forced Chinese labourers to conduct the mining work under harsh conditions. The disaster began with a fire in the mine. In order to suppress it, the Japanese operators cut off the air in the ventilation shafts and blocked off the mine so as to deprive the blaze of oxygen. Most workers were not evacuated before these actions, and they were trapped within

5559-519: The Australasian number 2 deep lead gold mine at Creswick in Victoria. The mine was violently flooded by a burst of water when miners digging a new drive approached too close to the abandoned and flooded Australasian number 1 workings, due to an error in surveying by the manager of the mine. 5 miners survived and were rescued after 50 hours trapped underground. This disaster, with the highest death toll from

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5668-535: The European Directives on End-of-Life Vehicles , Packaging and Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment). Since June 2011, it is followed by VinylPlus, a new set of targets for sustainable development. Its main target is to recycle 800,000 tonnes per year of PVC by 2020 including 100,000 tonnes of "difficult to recycle" waste. One facilitator for collection and recycling of PVC waste is Recovinyl. The reported and audited mechanically recycled PVC tonnage in 2016

5777-596: The Nine Network secured a deal for $ 2.6 million, for a 2-hour special on the night of Sunday 21 May entitled "The Great Escape". The story was extended by the continued stream of media reports detailing the ordeal, such as Enough Rope with Andrew Denton ' s interview with one of the rescuers, Paul Featherstone. Adelaide band Unitopia recorded a single , "321" (often misquoted in the media as "321 Hours"), with Webb, Russell and their wives singing backing vocals. Satirist and comic performer Dan Ilic wrote and performed

5886-572: The San Jose mine for a record period of nearly 10 weeks , four workers were trapped in an Ecuadoran gold mine following a tunnel collapse. All were confirmed dead by October 20. The Courrières mine disaster was the worst ever pit mine disaster in Europe. It caused the death of 1,099 miners (including many children) in Northern France on 10 March 1906. It seems that this disaster was surpassed only by

5995-715: The State Work Safety Supervision Administration, 4,749 Chinese coal miners were killed in thousands of blasts, floods, and other accidents. For example, a gas explosion at the Nanshan Colliery killed 24 people on November 13, 2006; the mine was operating without any safety license and the Xinhua News Agency claimed the cause was incorrect usage of explosives. However, the 2006 rate was 20.1% less than 2005 despite an 8.1% increase in production. The New York Times reported that China's lack of

6104-448: The U.S. EPA dioxin inventory, landfill fires are likely to represent an even larger source of dioxin to the environment. A survey of international studies consistently identifies high dioxin concentrations in areas affected by open waste burning and a study that looked at the homologue pattern found the sample with the highest dioxin concentration was "typical for the pyrolysis of PVC". Other EU studies indicate that PVC likely "accounts for

6213-698: The Xiaojiawan coal mine in Sichuan province. A few days later on September 3, 2012, 14 miners were killed at Gaokeng Coal Mine in Jiangxi province. On March 29, 2013, a landslide trapped 83 people in the Gyama Mine in Tibet. On 4 January 2014 The Chinese Government stated that 1,049 people died in the year 2013, down 24 percent from 2012. On 22 February 2023, China recorded four deaths and 49 missing cases due to collapse of

6322-634: The accidents and casualties have happened in the North of Spain and are particularly related to coal mining, mainly due to the collapse of structures and gas explosions. Though, the worst recorded accident took place in Villanueva del Río, Sevilla , in the Southwest of the country on 28 April 1904, killing 63 people and leaving several more injured. A number of major mining accidents happened in South Africa including

6431-427: The addition of a heat stabilizer during the process is necessary in order to ensure the product's properties. Traditional product PVC has a maximum operating temperature around 60 °C (140 °F) when heat distortion begins to occur. As a thermoplastic, PVC has an inherent insulation that aids in reducing condensation formation and resisting internal temperature changes for hot and cold liquids. Roughly half of

6540-429: The air. Some studies indicate that this outgassing of additives may contribute to health complications, and have resulted in a call for banning the use of DEHP on shower curtains, among other uses. In 2004 a joint Swedish-Danish research team found a statistical association between allergies in children and indoor air levels of DEHP and BBzP ( butyl benzyl phthalate ), which is used in vinyl flooring. In December 2006,

6649-686: The amount of cement used to close in exploited parts of the mine, supports had been removed from lower parts of the mine, and mesh intended to prevent rock collapse was known to be ineffective. Interest in gaining media deals with both survivors culminated with Oprah Winfrey 's production company Harpo expressing interest. Interest from the United States was particularly strong given two January 2006 mining disasters in West Virginia (the Sago Mine disaster and Aracoma Alma Mine accident ) which resulted in

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6758-414: The basket of the telehandler to shake Russell's hand. This was where a remote-controlled loader had got to the back of the teleloader, but this route was deemed unsafe for rescuing them. Webb and Russell themselves did not want the rescuers to attempt to reach them through the rubble, because to do so would require them to cut through the wire on the side of the cage, which was under considerable pressure from

6867-403: The best across all the human health and environmental impact categories, nor as the worst" but that the "risk of dioxin emissions puts PVC consistently among the worst materials for human health impacts." In Europe the overwhelming importance of combustion conditions on dioxin formation has been established by numerous researchers. The single most important factor in forming dioxin-like compounds

6976-418: The boring machine from the escape tunnel were required before the final phase of the rescue commenced. On 7 May the rescuers reached a belt of hard rock that they found difficult to penetrate. As the jack hammers they were using had little effect, they reverted to using low-impact charges. On 8 May the horizontal tunnel was completed, with rescuers beginning tunnelling upwards in the short vertical tunnel, since

7085-453: The chain gives a few percent crystallinity that is influential on the properties of the material. About 57% of the mass of PVC is chlorine . The presence of chloride groups gives the polymer very different properties from the structurally related material polyethylene . At 1.4 g/cm , PVC's density is also higher than structurally related plastics such as polyethylene (0.88–0.96 g/cm ) and polymethylmethacrylate (1.18 g/cm ). About half of

7194-688: The collapse of a gold mine in Ndassima , killing 37 miners and injuring many others. In June 1945, during a fire, 355 workers died in El Teniente by inhaling carbon monoxide , in what was called the " Tragedia del Humo " (English: The Smoke Tragedy ). In January 2006, an explosion occurred in a mine in Copiapó , leaving 70 miners trapped underground. The miners were rescued after a brief period of time, but two people died. In August 2010, 33 miners were trapped underground in Copiapó. After two weeks communication

7303-401: The collapse. Three of the miners working underground at the time were trapped, and early reports suggested that 14 miners who were underground at the time had managed to scramble to safety. The mining company, Beaconsfield Mine Joint Venture, released a press statement saying they held "grave concerns for the three miners' wellbeing". Larry Knight (44), Brant Webb (37) and Todd Russell (34) were

7412-433: The consumption of PVC from medical devices is approximately 85,000 tons each year. Almost one third of plastic-based medical devices are made from PVC. PVC has been applied to various items such as: bottles, packaging films, blister packs , cling wraps , and seals on metal lids. PVC may be extruded under pressure to encase wire rope and aircraft cable used for general purpose applications. PVC coated wire rope

7521-401: The deaths of 15 miners. Ten News reported that the survivors were offered $ 3 million each, and Channel Nine boss Eddie McGuire attended the pub where the residents of Beaconsfield were celebrating the rescue. During The Footy Show , they crossed live to a special event held in Beaconsfield where both miners appeared and were questioned by McGuire. The Daily Telegraph revealed that

7630-417: The drilling and judging the direction. The hole was about 90 millimetres (3.5 in) in diameter. A PVC pipe was used to line the hole, which was used to deliver fresh water, food and communications equipment to the men. On 1 May 2006, rescuers were still 12 metres (39 ft) from the miners. They were also later sent a digital camera , a torch , dry clothes , magazines , iPods including music from

7739-495: The east of Lens, in the Pas-de-Calais département (about 220 km, or 140 miles, north of Paris). A large explosion was heard shortly after 06:30 on the morning of Saturday 10 March 1906. An elevator cage at Shaft 3 was thrown to the surface, damaging pit-head workings; windows and roofs were blown out on the surface at Shaft 4; an elevator cage raised at Shaft 2 contained only dead and unconscious miners. Mine disaster of

7848-432: The end use specification (underground pipe, window frames, intravenous tubing and flooring all have very different ingredients to suit their performance requirements). Previously, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were added to certain PVC products as flame retardants and stabilizers. Among the common plastics , PVC is unique in its acceptance of large amounts of plasticizer with gradual changes in physical properties from

7957-558: The following accidents: The three worst mining accidents in Taiwan all happened in 1984: At least 56 miners were killed in April 1998 after heavy rains flooded tanzanite mine shafts. Five people were killed in July 2013 after the tanzanite quarry they were working in the Mererani mining hills collapsed above their heads. A sixth was admitted to hospital in critical condition. In March 1983, in

8066-510: The geology of the mine is not suitable for the technique. On March 4, 1887, 120 miners died in a coal mine in La Boule, Borinage due to a methane explosion. On the morning of August 8, 1956, a fire in the mine Bois du Cazier in Marcinelle caused 262 victims, with only 12 survivors. A mining cart on an elevator cage hit an oil pipe and electricity lines, with the resulting fire trapping

8175-400: The horizontal tunnel had been dug lower than the level of the miners. At about 9:30 p.m. a probe passed through the rock below where the miners were located, which indicated there was only 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) between them, including 400 millimetres (16 in) of hard rock. After 14 nights, at 4:27 a.m., rescuers Glenn Burns, Donovan Lightfoot and Royce Gill finally reached

8284-456: The largest number of coal-mining fatalities, accounting for about 80% of the world's total, although it produced only 35% of the world's coal. Between January 2001 and October 2004, there were 188 accidents that had a death toll of more than 10, about one such accident every 7.4 days. After the 2005 Sunjiawan mine disaster , which killed at least 210 miners, a meeting of the State Council

8393-440: The men switched their safety tags to 'safe' on the mine out board before embracing family members who rushed to hug them." Both were then transported to Launceston General Hospital in nearby Launceston just after 6 a.m. local time. Russell had an injured knee, and a damaged vertebra which put pressure on his sciatic nerve , while Webb had injuries to both knees, several vertebrae, and his neck. Hundreds of journalists arrived in

8502-452: The men, one of them yelling "I can see your light" when he broke through the ground which was separating him from the miners, to which the miners replied "I can see your light too". Brant Webb was freed at 4:47 a.m. on 9 May, followed by Todd Russell at 4:54 a.m. They were driven up the spiral decline of the mine, arriving at a medical station at the base of the vertical shaft from the surface at about 5:30 a.m. They were checked by

8611-587: The mine was sealed, with the bodies of the 11 miners unretrieved. In the 1996 Gretley coal mine disaster, near Newcastle, four men were killed when their mining machine broke into the flooded workings of an old coalmine, abandoned over 80 years earlier. Four miners were killed in a windblast incident at the Northparkes mine outside the New South Wales town of Parkes in 1999. A mine collapsed at Ballarat Gold Mine in Victoria on March 14, 2024, resulting in

8720-778: The miners took up his offer, joining Grohl for a drink after the Foo Fighters' acoustic concert at the Sydney Opera House . Since then, Foo Fighters have written an instrumental tribute song called "Ballad of the Beaconsfield Miners", appearing on their 2007 album Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace . Following a meeting the Australian Workers' Union held with the miners from Beaconsfield on 15 May, they reported that no miner could be found who had been given workplace safety training, miners were unhappy with reductions in

8829-436: The miners. Most of the victims were immigrants (136 Italians, 8 Poles, 6 Greeks, 5 Germans, 5 Frenchmen, 3 Hungarians, 1 Englishman, 1 Dutchman, 1 Russian and 1 Ukrainian. ) On September 4, 2014, after a 3.5 Richter earthquake hit Zenica caused rock burst in coal mine "Raspotočje", 34 miners remained trapped inside the mine. It was later reported that 5 miners were killed in the accident . In June 2013, heavy rains provoked

8938-444: The overwhelming majority of chlorine that is available for dioxin formation during landfill fires." The next largest sources of dioxin in the U.S. EPA inventory are medical and municipal waste incinerators. Various studies have been conducted that reach contradictory results. For instance a study of commercial-scale incinerators showed no relationship between the PVC content of the waste and dioxin emissions. Other studies have shown

9047-435: The presence of PVC has no significant effect on the amount of dioxins released through incineration of plastic waste ." In Europe, developments in PVC waste management have been monitored by Vinyl 2010, established in 2000. Vinyl 2010's objective was to recycle 200,000 tonnes of post-consumer PVC waste per year in Europe by the end of 2010, excluding waste streams already subject to other or more specific legislation (such as

9156-405: The reactor along with a polymerization initiator and other additives. The contents of the reaction vessel are pressurized and continually mixed to maintain the suspension and ensure a uniform particle size of the PVC resin. The reaction is exothermic and thus requires cooling. As the volume is reduced during the reaction (PVC is denser than VCM), water is continually added to the mixture to maintain

9265-403: The replacement of Pb-based stabilisers in 2015. In the early 1970s, the carcinogenicity of vinyl chloride (usually called vinyl chloride monomer or VCM) was linked to cancers in workers in the polyvinyl chloride industry. Specifically workers in polymerization section of a B.F. Goodrich plant near Louisville, Kentucky , were diagnosed with liver angiosarcoma also known as hemangiosarcoma ,

9374-409: The rock above. The two men were afraid that cutting the cage would cause it to collapse. Rescuers immediately halted blasting in the access tunnel, and instead drilled a smaller hole through the approximately 14.5 metres (48 ft) of rock between the head of the access tunnel and the part of the side tunnel where the miners were trapped. Webb and Russell directed the work by listening to the sound of

9483-415: The sealed-off area of the mine; they suffocated to death as the fire burned off oxygen and led to carbon monoxide poisoning . Once the fire died out and the mine was re-opened, ten days were required for workers to remove debris and reach the bodies of those who had been trapped inside the mine. The dead consisted of 1,518 Chinese and 31 Japanese. Most of the bodies were later buried in a mass grave. After

9592-541: The surface. At 9:26 p.m. ( Australian Eastern Standard Time ) on 25 April 2006, a small earthquake triggered an underground rockfall at the Beaconsfield gold mine in northern Tasmania. Geoscience Australia said that the earthquake had a magnitude of 2.3 on the Richter scale, at a shallow depth at coordinates 41°11′24″S 146°50′24″E  /  41.190°S 146.840°E  / -41.190; 146.840 . Earlier speculation had suggested that mine blasting had caused

9701-452: The suspension. PVC may be manufactured from ethylene , which can be produced from either naphtha or ethane feedstock. The polymers are linear and are strong. The monomers are mainly arranged head-to-tail, meaning that chloride is located on alternating carbon centres. PVC has mainly an atactic stereochemistry , which means that the relative stereochemistry of the chloride centres are random. Some degree of syndiotacticity of

9810-399: The three miners who remained unaccounted for. Knight had been killed in the initial rockfall, but Webb and Russell were still alive, trapped in part of the vehicle in which they had been working at the time of the collapse, known as a teleloader or telehandler. They were in a basket at the end of the telehandler's arm, where they had been applying steel mesh to a barricade prior to backfilling

9919-435: The town to cover the story, transforming Beaconsfield into a busy town. Some comedians joked at the time that the reason why the rescue took so long was because cables and wires being used by broadcasters at the site were blocking the path. The then Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard , said his message to the miners would be "Everybody is with you, mate". On the afternoon of 7 May, journalist Richard Carleton suffered

10028-428: The tunnel. At about 5.45 pm on 30 April two rescuers, Pat Ball (the underground manager) and Steve Saltmarsh (the mine foreman) entered the 925 level to the rockfall and yelled out. Webb and Russell began yelling, "We're in here!", and this was how the rescuers found out they were alive. Later, one rescuer found a direct route to the trapped miners, across the rubble in the side tunnel, and was able to get close enough to

10137-580: The use of cast iron for plumbing and drainage , being used for waste pipes, drainpipes, gutters and downspouts . PVC is known as having strong resistance against chemicals, sunlight, and oxidation from water. Polyvinyl chloride is formed in flat sheets in a variety of thicknesses and colors. As flat sheets, PVC is often expanded to create voids in the interior of the material, providing additional thickness without additional weight and minimal extra cost (see closed-cell PVC foamboard ). Sheets are cut using saws and rotary cutting equipment. Plasticized PVC

10246-505: The war and liberation of China by the Soviet Union, the disaster was investigated. The Soviet report concluded that the majority of the deaths were not caused directly by the initial fire but were the result of carbon monoxide poisoning and suffocation resulting from the decisions of the Japanese. This is an incomplete list of notable mining accidents and disasters that have killed at least 10 persons: 22 miners drowned in December 1882 in

10355-492: The world's PVC production capacity is in China , despite the closure of many Chinese PVC plants due to issues complying with environmental regulations and poor capacities of scale. The largest single producer of PVC as of 2018 is Shin-Etsu Chemical of Japan , with a global share of around 30%. The product of the polymerization process is unmodified PVC. Before PVC can be made into finished products, it always requires conversion into

10464-431: The world's PVC resin manufactured annually is used for producing pipes for municipal and industrial applications. In the private homeowner market, it accounts for 66% of the household market in the US, and in household sanitary sewer pipe applications, it accounts for 75%. Buried PVC pipes in both water and sanitary sewer applications that are 100 mm (4 in) in diameter and larger are typically joined by means of

10573-471: The worst mining disaster in Australian history. A coal dust explosion at the Mount Mulligan mine on 19 September 1921 killed 75 or 76 workers. Tasmania's Beaconsfield Mine collapse occurred on 25 April 2006. Of the 17 people who were in the mine at the time, 14 escaped immediately following the collapse, one was killed and the remaining two were found alive after five days. The survivors were trapped in

10682-540: Was 568,695 tonnes which in 2018 had increased to 739,525 tonnes. One approach to address the problem of waste PVC is also through the process called Vinyloop . It is a mechanical recycling process using a solvent to separate PVC from other materials. This solvent turns in a closed loop process in which the solvent is recycled. Recycled PVC is used in place of virgin PVC in various applications: coatings for swimming pools, shoe soles, hoses, diaphragms tunnel, coated fabrics, PVC sheets. This recycled PVC's primary energy demand

10791-587: Was an explosion in the Strongman Mine , near Greymouth , on the West Coast . 19 people were killed. A gold mine collapse in Maradi Region in 2021, killed dozens. On November 25, 2006, the worst mining disaster occurred in modern Polish history, 23 miners lost their lives at Halemba Coal Mine , a colliery in the town of Ruda Śląska in the southern industrial province of Silesia . A methane explosion at

10900-614: Was convened to work on measures to improve work safety in coal mines. The meeting's statement indicated serious problems such as violation of safety standards and overproduction in some coal mines. Three billion yuan (360 million US dollars) were dedicated for technological renovation on work safety, gas management in particular, at state-owned major coal mines. The government also promised to send safety supervision teams to 45 coal mines with serious gas problems and invite colliery safety experts to evaluate safety situations in coal mines and formulate prevention measures. In 2006, according to

11009-484: Was dislodged faster than they could clear it. Russell recorded the date and time of each blast on his clothing, so that if they died as a result of the blasting, the rescuers would know that they had been alive prior to a particular blast. Both Webb and Russell also wrote letters to their families on their clothing. The two men sang " The Gambler " by Kenny Rogers (the only song they both knew) in order to keep up their spirits, as they waited for successive blasts to occur in

11118-420: Was going much more slowly because of the danger of further rock falls, at a rate of around 0.46 metres (1 ft 6 in) per hour. Drilling of the rescue tunnel commenced on Thursday 4 May at about 8 p.m. guided by the completed pilot hole. It was gouged out to 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) and was planned to come up underneath the men's cage after passing through 16 metres (52 ft) of rock. The last phase

11227-417: Was made with them but it was said at least four more months would pass before they could be rescued, though essential services could still be provided. The rescues began on October 12, 2010, and all the 33 miners were rescued within 22 hours of first rescue. News of the success of the team led to celebrations around the country and much of the region . According to one source, in 2003 China accounted for

11336-483: Was permanently banned for use in children's products in the US in 2008 by US Congress; the PVC-DEHP combination had proved to be very suitable for making blood bags because DEHP stabilizes red blood cells, minimizing hemolysis (red blood cell rupture). However, DEHP is coming under increasing pressure in Europe. The assessment of potential risks related to phthalates, and in particular the use of DEHP in PVC medical devices,

11445-453: Was put off on Monday 1 May because of the danger of another collapse. It was decided to use a raise borer anchored in concrete, with the last load of the concrete being delivered before dawn on Wednesday, 3 May 2006. The machine cut a horizontal tunnel 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) in diameter. Later that day it was announced that the drilling to go the final 12 metres (39 ft) would commence within hours. At about 6:45 p.m., drilling of

11554-404: Was sealed without their bodies being retrieved. In 1986 a second disaster occurred, as an underground explosion, which took the lives of 12 miners. The bodies of all those persons were retrieved. In Moura on 7 August 1994 a third major mining accident occurred with an explosion at Moura No. 2 Mine. A second explosion at the mine approximately a day and a half later saw rescue attempts abandoned, and

11663-742: Was subject to scientific and policy review by the European Union authorities, and on 21 March 2010, a specific labeling requirement was introduced across the EU for all devices containing phthalates that are classified as CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction). The label aims to enable healthcare professionals to use this equipment safely, and, where needed, take appropriate precautionary measures for patients at risk of over-exposure BaZn stabilisers have successfully replaced cadmium-based stabilisers in Europe in many PVC semi-rigid and flexible applications. In Europe, particularly Belgium, there has been

11772-456: Was to involve a miner using hand tools to create an opening whilst lying on his back. As at 7 a.m. on Saturday 6 May the raise borer had drilled about 11 metres (36 ft) of the 14.5-metre (48 ft) rescue tunnel. The mine decided on the shortened route late on Friday night. The major drilling operation was completed by 6 p.m. on Saturday, with only a few metres remaining to reach the trapped miners. Several hours work dismantling and removing

11881-407: Was unsafe, instead choosing to blast a new tunnel across from the main decline to the side tunnel, aiming to come out in front of the telehandler. On 29 April they began blasting a new tunnel, detonating at least six large explosive charges to form the tunnel. The blasts dislodged rock inside the cage of the telehandler, which Webb and Russell attempted to clear, although as the blasts came closer, rock

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