Exactly how does one go about becoming a coal miner in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania?

Edit: Tim, i changed the name of this topic to get more interest. (chris)

I am sure that Anthracite is different than the Bituminous. Most of our Bitty mines are all union in the western Pa. Which one are you asking about ?

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Pioneering the next INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION (Preservation ! ). . . Saving equipment (1) mine site at a time.

yep, theres the million dollar question, anty or bitty?

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Here we go again.


I can't speak for Pa. but the Indiana answer is:

Go to a Community College and take the 40 hour MSHA Class, surface or underground. They are different classes.

If someone from the mines don't come to the class, take your certificate to the mine office and apply.

Anthracite... The only kind of coal that matters... Lol. I think it would be interesting to get whatever it is I would need just to see what the training is like.

I took the 40 hour course at Schuylkill Career Center's Airport Campus in September.It was really a fun thing to do.I learned a lot and met great people that week. Only bad thing is that Kimmel's Deep Mine closed shortly after I applied there and Harmony I'm not sure what's going on in the future there also.But it was well worth it to learn all the safety and practical training before you get on the job.

haha, we have another one for the battle! ok, seriously tim, yes you need to take the 40 hour msha safety class either with the school pacoal mentioned, or with mine rescue in tremont. we took ours with them, they kinda ran it just for us, but we could probably get another one together. problem is with the school youll wait forever. they dont do classes all the time, but when they get a bunch of people, like 10 or so. i have 4 that want to take it, so maybe we can get some more guys together and you can have your class. nice thing is its free. only problem is, like pacoal also mentioned, is getting a job. we kind of had ours lined up at the slope we are at now, which is like all the other smaller slopes, you kinda have to know someone to have an in. then, they need to be looking for a laborer. i know harmony is on the down slide so i doubt they are hiring but you never know. best bet is get the training when and if you can, then worry about finding a mine.

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Tim your not far from a couple of mines at all. Best bet would be to strike up a friendship with the operators and take it from there. Harmony's future right now is unkown one day there shutting down the next there not. N&L Slope, and Chesnut aren't far either. Kimmels is down now but they plan on going conventional and opening that back up again. There are a couple of smaller mines reopening so it's not a bad time to be getting your 40 hours in.

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"We don't look for any money all we look for is a little help and the only help we get is for the government to shut us down and if you go to the gas station and buy the gas you'll see why..........................you'll see why"

Hey, thanks guys... And Chris, I have friend who is interested in it as well... So that's one more to add to the list. I'm looking for a job right now and I asked my self what industry is on the rise.... COAL!!!! Plus, it's been in my family for generations.

well, like mike said, theres a bunch starting up. best bet, go show up at some holes and introduce yourself, see how it goes!

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chris would i be ab;e to sign up for a class with you guys please?

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yep, ill see what i can get together.

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Awesome. I'd like to take 'em too.
~S

awsome thanks alot!

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Dunder Mifflin, the people persons paper people.

i have to call paul at mine rescue in the next week or so anyways, so ill see what i can get lined up. ill leave this topic open for a week and then call him to see how many people are interested. just a note, you have to be dedicated. the class starts at 7 sharp ( that meant leaving at 4:45 in the morning for us northern fielders) at the tremont mine rescue station. it is 4 days, mon-thurs. you get the 32 hour msha general underground class, then you get the other 8 hour site specific training when you get to the mine you are going to work at. so ill get a hold of him sometime in the second week of december.

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