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60-530: The contracted excavator/reclaiming company was Merthyr (South Wales) Ltd (previously called Miller Argent), which is owned by Gwent Investments Limited, a privately owned family business based in South Wales. The scheme development was the last part of the East Merthyr Reclamation scheme, and planned to extract 10 million tonnes of coal over 15 years starting from 2007, with the intention of using part of

120-414: A certain age, and the younger generation no longer have the “experience” of living in a community which is centred on coal . The History of Fochriw website can be accessed at the following link: https://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/en/archive/20160112101258/http://www.fochriwhistory.co.uk/index.htm Fochriw is a typical South Wales Valleys coal mining village that developed from its rural existence by

180-488: A further climb for a mile of 1:38. The highest point of the line, and the highest railway in South Wales, was in the cutting before Pant-y-waun , adjacent to the still-extant reservoir of Rhaslas Pond. At 1314 feet, this was a single foot higher than Torpantau summit in the Brecon Beacons . By 1919, there was also a connection from Fochriw Colliery through to Cwm Bargoed , west of the village. Fochriw railway station

240-447: A mine that contribute to this load: drilling , blasting, loading, and hauling . Waste rock is hauled to a waste dump. Waste dumps can be piled at the surface of the active pit, or in previously mined pits. Leftover waste from processing the ore is called tailings , and is generally in the form of a slurry . This is pumped to a tailings dam or settling pond, where the water is reused or evaporated. Tailings dams can be toxic due to

300-429: A number of worked-out mines. After mining ends at a location, the mine area may undergo land rehabilitation . Waste dumps are contoured to flatten them out, to further stabilize them. If the ore contains sulfides it is usually covered with a layer of clay to prevent ingress of rain and oxygen from the air, which can oxidize the sulfides to produce sulfuric acid , a phenomenon known as acid mine drainage . This

360-503: A period of about 130 years, the landscape changed from rural to industrial and then back to rural, as it is today. However, the latter changes did not take place until relatively recently when nearly all the remnants of the coal mining industry were removed from around the village. The memories of the industrial landmarks, or eyesores, that remained following the closure of the Fochriw and South Tunnel collieries are only retained by those of

420-509: A permanent garrison, the Romans pushed west and north. A Roman road was made to Gelligaer as a connecting link between the forts of Cardiff and Brecon. In addition to a fort at Gelligaer another was eventually built at Penydarren . Thence the road ran through Pontsarn and Vaynor to Y Gaer , near Brecon . On an Ordnance Survey map one can trace the line of the Roman road on Gelligaer common, where it

480-477: A result of room and pillar mining . Untopping removes the overburden from above this, opens up the mine from above, and then allows the previously 'trapped' minerals to be won. Untopping was a feature of Welsh slate workings in the 1930s and 2000s, where Martyn Williams-Ellis, manager at Llechwedd found that earlier Victorian workings could be kept profitable with the newly mechanised techniques for bulk excavation to extract their pillars, and more recently across

540-524: A school and a station. By 1919 the village had grown and the terraces to the south around Aelbryn and Glyn Terrace had been built. A church and two larger schools had also appeared. Fochriw Colliery was sunk by the Dowlais Iron Co. to provide coal for their blast furnaces at Dowlais . Sinking began in 1857 and by 1866 two shafts were producing coal. In 1910 the No. 1 pit was producing 1,900 tons weekly from

600-471: Is a surface mining technique that extracts rock or minerals from the earth. Open-pit mines are used when deposits of commercially useful ore or rocks are found near the surface where the overburden is relatively thin. In contrast, deeper mineral deposits can be reached using underground mining. Open-pit mining is considered one of the most dangerous sectors in the industrial world . It causes significant effects to miners' health, as well as damage to

660-450: Is a crucial aspect of determining whether or not a geotechnical engineering design for open-pit slopes is attainable. Groundwater control systems, which include dewatering and depressurization wells, may also have a large impact on local groundwater. Because of this, an optimization-based version of the control system is required to ensure that local and regional hydro-geological impacts are within acceptable ranges. Open Pit depressurization

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720-423: Is known as Heol Adam. The Roman road from the fort at Gelligaer lies just west of Fochriw and Pant-y-Waun . It is said that the Romans marched 11 Roman miles a day and there was a rest post at Twyn-y-Waun which was 11 miles from the fort at Gelligaer. A Roman fort also exists at Pen-y-Darren which is located underneath the current site of Merthyr Town F.C. Fochriw existed to provide accommodation for miners at

780-482: Is the largest of the original three phases and will restore over 360 ha of previously derelict and disturbed land. Once completed, the land, which will be fit for upland grazing, with safe access for use by the community, will be returned to the planning authority. Planning consent for Phase III was granted in November 1988. However, local debates continued over the nature and scale of the development which will lead to

840-401: Is the process of removing tensions or pressure from different areas of a mine. Depressurization helps to make open-pit mines more stable and secure. By using an integrated mine slope depressurization program the likelihood that mine plans can be achieved, and at an acceptable level of risk increase drastically. Depressurization allows considerable expansions of a mine, and can extend the life of

900-559: Is then generally covered with soil , and vegetation is planted to help consolidate the material. Eventually this layer will erode, but it is generally hoped that the rate of leaching or acid will be slowed by the cover such that the environment can handle the load of acid and associated heavy metals. There are no long term studies on the success of these covers due to the relatively short time in which large-scale open-pit mining has existed. It may take hundreds to thousands of years for some waste dumps to become "acid neutral" and stop leaching to

960-634: The Lusatian Lake District , the Central German Lake District or the Upper Palatinate Lake District. A particular concern in the formation of these lakes is acid mine drainage . Open-pit mines create a significant amount of waste. Almost one million tons of ore and waste rock can move from the largest mines per day, and a couple thousand tons moved from small mines per day. There are generally four main operations in

1020-574: The Philippines and Indonesia . In 2024, nickel mining and processing was one of the main causes of deforestation in Indonesia . Open-pit cobalt mining has led to deforestation and habitat destruction in the Democratic Republic of Congo . Open-pit mines operating in an area with heavy groundwater features may eventually face hydrology-related problems. This includes heaving and bursting of

1080-456: The Romans had reached the flat plain where, within a mile or so of each other, the three rivers, Rhymney , Taff and Ely reach the sea, and had built there a wooden fort. Later this was rebuilt in stone and its remains can still be seen in patches at the base of the walls of Cardiff Castle . This was the principal centre of occupation of what was the old county of Glamorgan . Leaving at Cardiff

1140-418: The mineral resource is exhausted, or an increasing ratio of overburden to ore makes further mining uneconomic. After open-pit mines are closed, they are sometimes converted to landfills for disposal of solid waste. Some form of water control is usually required to keep the mine pit from becoming a lake. Several former open-pit mines have been deliberately converted into artificial lakes, forming areas such as

1200-532: The Brithdir Hamlet which tend to converge near Fochriw”. It has also been known as Boch Rhiw Carn, Ffochreiw, Fochrhiw, Vochriw, Vochrhiw, and, currently, Fochriw. The interpretation of the name from an my original Fochriw family was Foch Y Rhiw Pentwyn Mawr which translates in English to : the cheek of the slope of the head hill (Pentwyn Mountain). This seems to describe the village's actual location. By 75 AD

1260-602: The Fochriw Colliery, later for the Ogilvie Colliery to the South. By the end of the 19th century there were a few houses on Brook Road, still the main road through the village, and three terraced streets to the west of Railway Terrace. The streets are still marked on maps and traces of the roads remain, although all buildings have been cleared and they are now a bare field. At this time there were two chapels: baptist and Carmel,

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1320-475: The Parishioners of the said parish. It was identified as Brohru Carn in the 12th century, and a reference to Fforch y Rhiw is made in the book Parish of Gelligaer by T.V. Davies, in the section dealing with Roman History and the route of Heol Adam. It states that “The holding called Fforch y Rhiw is mentioned in several Gelligaer leases of the 17th century. The name probably arises from a number of old tracks in

1380-588: The Rhymney running as far north as Fochriw Colliery, past a number of other collieries in the Darran valley . The Rhymney section to Deri was opened in 1864, but the B&;M did not open through Fochriw to Dowlais Top until 1 September 1867, as they had been legally obliged to complete their connection from Dowlais to Merthyr first. The line through Fochriw may have been completed some years before this, and coal shipped northwards from

1440-729: The River Bargoed upwards till it comes very near the way upon the Common that leadeth from Keven y Brith decr to Twyn y Wayn then directly eastwards to the three stones in the Heath below Twyn y Wayn between Merthyr and Gellygaer then directly to the E sid Twyn y Wayn then directly to Fynnon Gwellin then to the old water pond in Pantywayn Coal pits then directly to the spring head of a Brook called Nant y Glynon then to Pwll Elwch Uarc then to Carn y Clyndir or Mark Ycha then to Carn Helig then to Rhyd y Milwr on

1500-492: The River Rhymney then along the River Rhymney to Aberbargoed Bridge aforesaid. The foregoing boundaries were perambulated the 24th day of May 1750 by George Parry Curate of Gellygaer, William Perrott Churchwarden, Edmond LLewelyn of Garthgynyd, George Williams of Carno, Henry Thomas of Brithdee, Thomas Lewis of Keven Bach, David Evans of Blaen Rhymney, Moses David of Pitwellt, Lewis Edwards of Ysgwyddgwyn and several others of

1560-730: The Upper Two Feet Nine and the Upper Four Feet seams, with the No. 2 pit producing 3,900 tons from the Big Coal, Red Coal and Rhas Las seams. It closed in 1924. Fochriw was on the Brecon and Merthyr Railway line from Bargoed to Dowlais Top . The Bargoed branch of the Rhymney Railway ran north from Bargoed to Deri Junction , then the B&M constructed the line from Deri northwards, through Fochriw. Each company had running rights, with

1620-524: The area was a National School at Pentwyn. It was opened in 1856 by the Gellygaer Charities which were left to the parish by Edward Lewis of Gilfach Bargoed in 1715. The new infant school was opened in July 1910 and was attended for instruction by the scholars for the first time on the first Monday of September 1910. In April 1911 a half acre of land adjacent to the existing school was bought for £20. It

1680-402: The areas surrounding open-pit mines. Open-pit gold mining is one of the highest potential mining threats on the environment as it affects the air and water chemistry. The exposed dust may be toxic or radioactive, making it a health concern for the workers and the surrounding communities. Open-pit nickel mining has led to environmental degradation and pollution in developing countries such as

1740-611: The backdrop on the BBC Wales sitcom High Hopes credits. The village's population was 1,250 in 2011. Fochriw's growth was germinated to a lesser extent by the Rhymney Iron Company ’s demand for ironstone, and to a greater extent by the Dowlais Ironworks ’ need for high-quality coal . The coal was of such good quality that it could be directly used in the iron-making process without the need for conversion to coke . Over

1800-410: The colliery, but the line was not yet officially opened for passenger service. Increasing coal traffic southwards from Cilhaul and Ogilvie collieries after 1900 led to the Rhymney section being relaid as double track . The Ogilvie Colliery at Deri was sunk between 1918 and 1923. The climb from Deri Junction to Fochriw was steep, three miles of 1:40, a shallow gradient through the station, and then

1860-476: The decision after it was claimed by local residents that Environment Minister Carwyn Jones had made his mind up before the planning committee met. Mr Jones denied the claim and the Welsh Assembly took the case to appeal judges, who gave final approval of the scheme on 27 November 2006. The Ffos-y-fran Land Reclamation Scheme is the largest of the original three phases and will restore derelict land, including

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1920-409: The deposit being mined, the mineral being mined, and the size of the machinery that is being used. Generally, large mine benches are 12 to 15 metres thick. In contrast, many quarries do not use benches, as they are usually shallow. Mining can be conducted on more than one bench at a time, and access to different benches is done with a system of ramps. The width of each bench is determined by the size of

1980-496: The dividing line being the brook (Bargoed Fach) which flows in the bottom of the valley. The boundaries of these hamlets were walked by a number of parishioners of the parish on 24th day of May, 1750, and a document detailing the boundaries of each hamlet, namely Keven, Hengode, Garthgynyd, Ysgwyddgwyn, and Brithdecr (Brithdir) was produced, extracts of same are reproduced below. Ysgwyddgwyn Hamlet It begins where Nant Goch goes to Bargoed by Pont Cradoc then along Nant Goch upwards to

2040-424: The ecological land and water. Open-pit mining causes changes to vegetation, soil, and bedrock, which ultimately contributes to changes in surface hydrology, groundwater levels, and flow paths. Additionally, open-pit produces harmful pollutants depending on the type of mineral being mined, and the type of mining process being used. Miners typically drill a series of test holes to locate an underground ore body. From

2100-472: The environment. The dumps are usually fenced off to prevent livestock denuding them of vegetation. The open pit is then surrounded with a fence , to prevent access, and it generally eventually fills up with ground water . In arid areas it may not fill due to deep groundwater levels. In Germany, the world's largest producer of lignite (virtually all of which these days is mined open-pit), the former mines are usually converted to artificial lakes . To mitigate

2160-480: The equipment being used, generally 20–40 metres wide. Downward ramps are created to allow mining on a new level to begin. This new level will become progressively wider to form the new pit bottom. Most walls of the pit are generally mined on an angle less than vertical. Waste rock is stripped when the pit becomes deeper, therefore this angle is a safety precaution to prevent and minimize damage and danger from rock falls. However, this depends on how weathered and eroded

2220-402: The extracted samples, they can determine the extent of the ore. This helps them determine the likely location of the veins or benches of ore and its commercial value. Open-pit mines that produce building materials and dimension stone are commonly referred to as quarries . Open-cast mines are dug on benches , which describe vertical levels of the hole. The interval of the benches depends on

2280-448: The extraction of 10 m tonnes of coal over 15 years; as well as commercial concerns over the size of the coal reserve, together with access rights to the land. Protesters said that if the scheme proceeded, it would mean work taking place just a few hundred metres away from homes in the villages of Dowlais , Mountain Hare , and Penydarren ; some houses would be less than 40 m from the boundary of

2340-727: The former route of the Rhymney Railway . Joining the modern Rhymney Line just south of Ystrad Mynach railway station , the trains then traveled onwards via Cardiff and then west along the Vale of Glamorgan Line . In March 2017, Miller Argent sent its last delivery of coal to Aberthaw Power Station . Akbelen Forest - woodland in Turkey being cut down to make way for opencast coal mine expansion 51°44′N 3°22′W  /  51.73°N 03.36°W  / 51.73; -03.36 Open-pit mining Open-pit mining , also known as open-cast or open-cut mining and in larger contexts mega-mining ,

2400-413: The grant of planning permission. The aim was to extract coal from the area of East Merthyr by the cheapest and most profitable means, rather than detracting from it and its environment. The East Merthyr Reclamation Scheme is made up of three phases, each with the objective of reclaiming the derelict and dangerous land to the east of Merthyr Tydfil, using revenues from surface coal mining operations, restoring

2460-464: The land to beneficial use at no cost to the public purse. Phases I 'Incline Top' and II the Dowlais 'Great White Tip' of the scheme were completed in 1993 and 1997 respectively, restoring 106 ha of derelict land to provide residential, light industrial and recreational uses. The 'Ffos-y-fran Land Reclamation Scheme', represents the third, and final, stage of the wider East Merthyr Reclamation Scheme. It

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2520-454: The mine by 10 to 15 years. One technique used in depressurization is annealing. Annealing is the slow heating and cooling of a metal, alloy or glass. This slow heating and cooling relieves the internal stress of surrounding areas. Annealing will increase a material's workability and durability, which overall increases open-pit mine safety. When groundwater pressures cause problems in open-pit mines, horizontal drains are used to aid in accelerating

2580-450: The mine floor due to excessive uplift pressure. A groundwater control system must be installed to fix problems caused by hydrology. The formation of an appropriate open-pit slope design, changes throughout the life of a mine. It is based mainly on an ever-increasing understanding of the rock mass conditions, including groundwater and associated pressures that may be acting within the slopes. The reduction of groundwater related to pore pressures

2640-520: The need for iron and coal during the 19th century. It is located on the north-east flank of Mynydd Fochriw at the head of the Bargoed Fach (now called the Darran ) valley, approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Bargoed , and 5 miles (8.0 km) south east of Merthyr Tydfil . The village straddles two ancient hamlets in the parish of Gelligaer, these being the Ysgwyddgwyn and Brithdir hamlets,

2700-526: The north and east of the railway connection to Fochriw Colliery , the coal washery was refurbished by Celtic Energy in 1992. In the summer of 2015, Miller Argent launched its state of the art coal washing facility on site - built at a cost of £10 million. The facility was built to meet demand for high quality Welsh coal by the Tata steel works site in Port Talbot . The washed coal was taken from site by rail along

2760-446: The presence of unextracted sulfide minerals , some forms of toxic minerals in the gangue , and often cyanide which is used to treat gold ore via the cyanide leach process . If proper environmental protections are not in place, this toxicity can harm the surrounding environment. Open-pit mining involves the process of disrupting the ground, which leads to the creation of air pollutants. The main source of air pollutants comes from

2820-407: The problem of acid mine drainage mentioned above, flooding is often done with the water of nearby rivers instead of using groundwater alone. In some cases, calcium oxide or other basic chemicals have to be added to the water to neutralize the pH -value. Gold is generally extracted in open-pit mines at 1 to 5 ppm (parts per million) but in certain cases, 0.75 ppm gold is economical. This

2880-427: The removal of known shafts previously associated with iron ore and coal workings, to finally complete the original land reclamation scheme. Statistics surrounding the site which include: Under agreed planning rules, the vast majority of coal that left the site was transported by rail. Extracted coal was moved from the mine and taken to be separated and washed at the sites Cwmbargoed Washery. Built in 1959 on land to

2940-446: The revenue to redevelop the current former industrial workings into residential and recreational use. The opencast coal mine has provoked criticism at a local and national scale, including objections on health and safety grounds as to the close proximity of housing to the site, concerns of the despoiling of the landscape, and global concerns of the contribution of coal to climate change . A number of protests have occurred on and around

3000-404: The rocks are, and the type of rocks involved. It also depends on the amount of structural weaknesses occur within the rocks, such as a faults , shears , joints or foliations . The walls are stepped. The inclined section of the wall is known as the batter, and the flat part of the step is known as the bench or berm. The steps in the walls help prevent rock falls continuing down the entire face of

3060-545: The shut-down of the deepcast coal mining industry from the 1930s through to the 1980s, the area to the east of Merthyr Tydfil has suffered severe dereliction. The East Merthyr Reclamation Scheme was the initiative of the former Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council and Mid Glamorgan County Council, in partnership with the Welsh Development Agency in the mid-1980s and was launched by the Secretary of State for Wales following

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3120-626: The site. In 1994 the scheme was revised to claim a larger coal reserve in line with government guidance, termed Phase IIIA. This was withdrawn in May 1999 due to access rights issues. Access rights were resolved by Miller Argent in 2003, and a new application was brought to Merthyr Council and the Welsh Assembly . In February 2005 the Welsh Assembly approved the Ffos-y-Fran scheme, but the High Court quashed

3180-543: The site. The license of the site expired in September 2022; an application for a 9-month extension was filed with Merthyr Tydfil Council. That application was refused in April 2023, meaning the site would have to close. In August 2023, the company announced that the mine will close by the end of November 2023. The mine shut down in November 2023 as planned. Following the 18th century development of Merthyr as an industrial centre, and

3240-412: The slope depressurization process. Which helps to prevent large scale slope failure in the mine. Horizontal drains are used to lower pore pressure by reducing groundwater head, which enhances slope stability. A form of open-cast quarrying may be carried out as 'untopping'. This is done where a previous underground mine is becoming uneconomic or worked-out, but still leaves valuable rock in place, often as

3300-574: The stone standing on the Common opposite Mardy Bach house then from that stone directly westward along the old ditch to the Highway that leadeth from Pen yr Hrwl Ddu to Pen y Bryn Oie then along the way to Trosater Henla then to Three Great Stones standing in the Heath below Twyn y Wayn between Merthyr and Gellygaer then directly eastward to Bargoed River little below the way that leadeth from Keven y Brith Brithdecr (Brithdir) Hamlet It begins where Bargoed River goes to Rhymney by Aberbargoed Bridge then along

3360-416: The transportation of minerals, but there are various other factors including drilling, blasting and the loading and unloading of overburden. These type of pollutants cause significant damage to public health and safety in addition to damaging the air quality. The inhalation of these pollutants can cause issues to the lungs and ultimately increase mortality. Furthermore, the pollutants affect flora and fauna in

3420-466: The wall. In some instances additional ground support is required and rock bolts , cable bolts and shotcrete are used. De-watering bores may be used to relieve water pressure by drilling horizontally into the wall, which is often enough to cause failures in the wall by itself. A haul road is usually situated at the side of the pit, forming a ramp up which trucks can drive, carrying ore and waste rock. Open-pit mines are typically worked until either

3480-496: The world. Listed are the world's ten largest open-pit mines in 2015. Fochriw Colliery Fochriw ( Welsh pronunciation: [vɔxˈrɪu̯] ) is a village in Caerphilly County Borough , Wales. It was well known for its neighbouring collieries , which employed nearly the entire local population in the early 20th century. It lies within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan . The village appears as

3540-515: Was achieved by bulk heap leaching at the Peak Hill mine in western New South Wales , near Dubbo , Australia . Nickel , generally as laterite, is extracted via open-pit down to 0.2%. Copper can be extracted at grades as low as 0.11% to 0.2%. Open-pit mining is a common method to extract minerals and samples from the Earth. Due to being cost-effective, this method is very popular and is used all over

3600-407: Was built to the north of Brook Row, on top of the embankment which can still be seen on the east of Railway Terrace. Southwards its path can still be seen as a footpath between Aelbryn and Plantation Terrace. As well as the platform, there was also a small goods shed . The siding and goods shed were removed in 1959 and the railway closed to passengers on the 29 December 1962. The first school in

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