Advances in Productive, Safe, and Responsible Coal Mining

Dr Hirschi is a Productivity Analyst in the Smart Solutions group. Prior to embarking on this new role, he was a project manager for the Illinois Clean Coal Institute leading their research efforts in coal mining and preparation. He has adjunct faculty status in the College of Engineering at Southern Illinois University, the institution from which he received a PhD degree in Engineering Science. He received BS and MS degrees in Mining Engineering and a MBA degree from the University of Utah. The first half of his career was at the Galatia Mine in southern Illinois where he was a safety technician, operations foreman, and mine engineer.

• 1. Profitable Coal Mining Means Being Productive, Safe, and Environmentally Responsible2. Safety and Productivity in Coal Mining – How to Make Both the Top Priority 3. Harm Coal Mining4. Productive, Safe, and Responsible Operations Are Not Possible Without Visible Safety Leadership5. Optimization of Coal Recovery and Production Rate as a Function of Panel Dimensions 6. Mine Ventilation Networks Optimized for Safety and Productivity7. Developing Effective Proximity Detection Systems for Underground Coal Mines8. Communication and Tracking System Performance9. Out-of-Seam Dilution: Economic Impacts and Control Strategies10. Coal Mine Methane: Control, Utilization, and Abatement11. Diesel Particulate Matter: Monitoring and Control Improves Safety and Air Quality12. Engineered Noise Controls for Miner Safety and Environmental Responsibility13. Sustainable Coal Waste Disposal Practices14. Sustainable Reclamation and Water Management Practices15. The Role of Research in the Coal Mining Industry: Moving Forward Using Lessons from the Past