Glossary of coal mining terminology

This is a partial glossary of coal mining terminology commonly used in the coalfields of the United Kingdom. Some words were in use throughout the coalfields, some are historic and some are local to the different British coalfields. Adit An adit is an underground level or tunnel to the surface for access or drainage purposes. Afterdamp Afterdamp is a mixture of carbon monoxide and chokedamp which replaces atmospheric air after an explosion. Agent The agent was the senior colliery manager: the term "viewer", "captain" or "steward" also appeared in older regional terminology. Where the mine owner provided the capital and sank the shafts, the agent organised the development of the colliery, determined mining methods, advised the owner on the mine's commercial management and labour policy, and in later years was generally a trained mining engineer. In the management hierarchy the agent was superior to the colliery manager and under-manager, who had day to day operational responsibility. An agent responsible for several collieries and managers was termed a "general manager". Airway A roadway used for ventilation. Bank, pit bank or pit brow The bank, pit bank or pit brow is the area at the top of the shaft. Banksman or banker A banksman, banker, hillman or browman works at the pit bank to dispatch the coals, and organise the workforce. He is in charge of loading or unloading the cage, drawing full tubs from the cages and replacing them with empty ones. The counterpart role at pit bottom is the onsetter. Bell A bell, bell stone or pan was a loose, roughly bell-shaped stone in the mine roof, liable to fall without warning: the cause of many coalmine fatalities. Bells were usually found in shale, but rarely in sandstone. Bevin Boys Bevin Boys were men conscripted to work in the collieries during World War II in a scheme introduced by Ernest Bevin. Bell pit A bell pit was a type of coal mine in which coal found close to the surface was extracted by sinking a shaft and removing coal from around it until the roof became unstable.