Ask any mining student which part of mining law they find hardest, and many will say the definitions. It is easy to mix up an official and a competent person, a working and a working place, or a gassy seam of the first degree and the second degree. Yet exam questions and real-life compliance both depend on knowing exactly what each term means.
In this post we go through the main definitions in Regulation 2 of the Coal Mines Regulations, 2017 (CMR 2017) in simple language, grouped by topic so they are easier to remember. There are diagrams, quick tables, a short quiz and a look at the first notice a mine has to give under Chapter II.
- Notified on: 27 November 2017 (G.S.R. 1449(E)), New Delhi
- Made under: Section 57 of the Mines Act, 1952, after draft publication and consideration of objections
- Replaced: the Coal Mines Regulations, 1957
- Applies to: every coal mine, extending to the whole of India
- Comes into force: on the date of publication in the Official Gazette
1. People and Appointments
Many definitions in the regulations are about who is allowed to do what. Here are the key ones.
| Term | Meaning in simple words |
|---|---|
| Manager | A manager appointed under regulation 27 |
| Assistant manager | A person with a Manager's Certificate, appointed in writing by the owner, agent or manager to assist in managing, controlling, supervising and directing the mine. Ranks immediately below the manager and is superior to an overman and a sirdar |
| Overman | A person with a Manager's or Overman's Certificate, appointed in writing by the manager (under any designation) to supervise or control work in a mine or part of it. Superior to a sirdar |
| Official | A person appointed in writing by the owner, agent or manager to supervise a mine or part of it. Includes an assistant manager, ventilation officer, safety officer, sampling incharge, dust incharge, overman, sirdar, engineer and surveyor |
| Principal official | The senior-most mine official in the mining discipline on duty in the mine |
| Competent person | A person aged 20 years or more, appointed in writing by the manager as competent to supervise or perform a particular work or to supervise the operation of machinery, plant or equipment, and responsible for the duties given. Includes a shot-firer |
| Shot-firer | A person appointed as such under regulation 190 |
| Banksman | A person appointed to supervise the raising and lowering of persons, tools and materials, and to pass signals, at the top of a shaft or incline |
| Onsetter | Does the same job at any inset or shaft bottom |
| Contractor | An individual, association, company, firm, local authority or local body that provides services or operations in a mine on contract, including a sub-contractor |
| Designer, manufacturer, supplier | Those who design, make or supply a coal mining system, method, machinery, plant, equipment, appliance or substance for use in coal mines |
Tip to remember: Every official is a supervisor appointed in writing, but a competent person is defined by the work he is appointed for. A shot-firer is a competent person, and the regulation says so directly.
2. Gas and the Mine Atmosphere
- Gas includes fume or vapour.
- Coal Mine Methane (CMM) is natural gas recovered from a coal mine or part of it, and Abandoned Mine Methane (AMM) is natural gas recovered from abandoned coal mines or part of them.
- Fiery seam: a seam in which a fire or spontaneous heating exists in the workings underground, or in opencast workings within the precincts of a mine.
- General body of air: the general atmosphere in a coal seam. It includes the atmosphere in the roof cavities, but not the atmosphere in a sealed-off area, or in a borehole drilled in coal or the adjacent strata.
Degrees of gassiness
These definitions apply to seams in mines that are not opencast workings. They are among the most commonly asked topics in exams.
| Degree | Gas in the general body of air | Rate of emission per tonne of coal produced |
|---|---|---|
| First degree | Gas may or may not be detected. If detected, it does not exceed 0.1% | Not more than 1 m³ |
| Second degree | More than 0.1% | More than 1 m³ but not more than 10 m³ |
| Third degree | As defined in clause (zc) | More than 10 m³ |
To read more about methane and other mine gases, see our post on mine gases and firedamp and our mine gases label.
Electrical safety terms
Flameproof enclosure and intrinsically safe have the same meaning as in the Central Electricity Authority (Measures Relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, 2010.
3. Workings and Places in a Mine
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Working | Any excavation made or being made in a mine for searching for or obtaining coal |
| Working place | Any place in a mine to which any person has lawful access |
| Face | The moving front of any working place, or the inbye end of any gallery, roadway or drift |
| Roadway | Any part of a passage or gallery below ground maintained in connection with the working of a mine |
| Incline | An inclined passage or road, either on the surface or below ground |
| Shaft | A way or opening leading from the surface to workings below ground, or from one part of the workings below ground to another, in which a cage or other means of conveyance can travel freely suspended, with or without guides |
| Inset | A landing or platform in a shaft, including an excavation from it between the top and bottom of the shaft |
| Goaf | Any part of the underground workings from which a pillar or part of it has been extracted, or in longwall workings from which coal has been extracted, but which is not a working place |
| Abandoned working | A working abandoned with no intention of working it in future |
| Discontinued working | A working stopped for any reason that is inaccessible, or has been made inaccessible, but is likely to be worked again |
| Disused working | A working where work has been temporarily stopped but which is still accessible. Includes unused workings |
| Haul road | A passage or road kept and used in connection with the working of opencast mines for plying machinery within the mine's precincts |
| Pipeline | A pipeline laid or used for pumping or supplying water, sand stowing or filling with other material, nitrogen flushing, or any other purpose, including extraction of CMM, AMM and other associated pipelines |
| Mine (for Chapter IV) | All excavations within the mine boundary and all premises, plants, machinery and works specified in clause (j) of sub-section (1) of Section 2 of the Act, taken together |
Curious about how shafts are actually built? Read our post on shaft sinking in mining.
4. Ventilation Terms
- Ventilation district: a part of a mine below ground with an independent intake airway that starts from a main intake airway, and an independent return airway that ends at a main return airway. In a mine or part ventilated by natural means, the whole mine or that part is the district.
- Auxiliary fan: a forcing or exhausting fan used underground wholly or mainly for ventilating one or more faces that form part of a ventilation district.
- Booster fan: a mechanical ventilator used underground to boost the whole current of air passing along the intake or return airway of a mine or ventilation district.
For the calculations behind these, see our post on mine ventilation formulas for GATE.
5. Blasting and Explosives
- Explosive: has the same meaning as in the Explosives Act, 1884.
- Misfire: the failure of an entire charge of explosives in a shot hole or blast hole to explode.
- Socket: a shot hole, blast hole or part of it that remains after being charged with explosive and blasted, and which is not known to be a misfired hole.
- Deep-hole drilling and blasting: drill holes more than three metres deep, used for blasting in an opencast mining operation.
- Shot-firer: see the people section above.
6. Machinery and Equipment
- Approved safety lamp and approved electric torch: a safety lamp or electric torch made by a firm and of a type that the Chief Inspector specifies from time to time by a general or special order. Learn more in our flame safety lamp series: Part 2 and Part 3.
- Machinery: includes any locomotive or engine, air compressor, boiler or steam apparatus, any equipment used for cutting, drilling, loading and transporting material, and any apparatus or appliance used for developing, storing, transmitting, converting or using energy, when it is used or intended to be used in connection with mining operations.
- Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM): machinery used in opencast mines for digging, drilling (excluding hand-held drills and drill machines that can drill holes of up to 50 mm in diameter), dredging, hydraulicking, ripping, dozing, grading, excavating, loading or transporting minerals or overburden.
- Tub: a wagon, car, truck or any other vehicle moving on rails to carry materials.
7. Time, Authorities and Other Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Coal | Includes anthracite, bituminous coal, lignite, peat and any other carbonaceous matter sold or marketed as coal |
| Material | Includes coal, stone, debris or any other material |
| Month | A calendar month |
| Quarter | A period of three months ending on 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December |
| Financial year | Twelve months from 1 April to 31 March of the next year |
| Average output | The average output per month during the preceding financial year of the total output from all workings within the specified mine boundaries |
| Form | A form specified by an order or instruction of the Chief Inspector under these regulations |
| Regional Inspector | An Inspector of Mines with jurisdiction over the geographical area in which the mine is located |
| District Magistrate | The District Magistrate or Deputy Commissioner who holds the executive powers of maintaining law and order in the revenue district where the mine is located. If a mine lies partly in two districts, it is the District Magistrate authorised by the Central Government |
| Public road | A road maintained for public use under the jurisdiction of the Government or a local authority |
| Railway | A railway as defined in the Railways Act, 1989 |
| River | Any stream or current of water, seasonal or perennial, including its banks up to the highest known flood level |
| Risk | The combination of the likelihood of a specific unwanted event and its potential consequences |
Words that are used in the regulations but not defined there, and that are defined in the Mines Act, 1952, carry the meaning given in the Act.
Chapter II: Notice of Opening
Chapter II deals with returns, notices and records. Its first regulation says that the notice of commencement of any mining operation under Section 16 of the Act must be sent to the Chief Inspector in the form and manner the Chief Inspector specifies. It must come with a plan showing the boundaries of the mine, the shafts or openings, tri-junction or revenue pillars and other prominent permanent surface features. A copy goes to the Regional Inspector.
Quick Memory Tips
- Competent person: 20 years. Appointed in writing, includes a shot-firer.
- Banksman at the top, onsetter at the bottom. Both signal during raising and lowering.
- First degree gassy: up to 0.1% gas, up to 1 m³/tonne. Second degree: over 0.1%, 1 to 10 m³/tonne.
- Misfire is the whole charge. Socket is what is left of a charged and blasted hole.
- Deep-hole: more than 3 m. HEMM: excludes drills up to 50 mm.
- Financial year: 1 April to 31 March.
Check Your Knowledge
1. In CMR 2017, a competent person must have attained the age of:
A. 18 years
B. 20 years
C. 21 years
D. 25 years
Show Answer
B. 20 years
2. Who is appointed to supervise the raising and lowering of persons at the shaft bottom?
A. Banksman
B. Overman
C. Onsetter
D. Sirdar
Show Answer
C. Onsetter
3. A seam in a non-opencast mine with gas not exceeding 0.1% in the general body of air and emission not exceeding 1 m³ per tonne is:
A. Gassy seam of the first degree
B. Gassy seam of the second degree
C. Fiery seam
D. Gassy seam of the third degree
Show Answer
A. Gassy seam of the first degree
4. Which of these is NOT part of the 'general body of air'?
A. The atmosphere in roof cavities
B. The general atmosphere in a coal seam
C. The air in a working place
D. The atmosphere in a sealed-off area
Show Answer
D. The atmosphere in a sealed-off area
5. Failure of an entire charge in a shot hole to explode is called:
A. Socket
B. Misfire
C. Blown-out shot
D. Cut-off
Show Answer
B. Misfire
6. Drill holes deeper than how many metres are 'deep-hole drilling and blasting' in opencast mining?
A. 1 m
B. 2 m
C. 3 m
D. 5 m
Show Answer
C. 3 m
Frequently Asked Questions
When were the Coal Mines Regulations, 2017 notified?
On 27 November 2017 by notification G.S.R. 1449(E), replacing the Coal Mines Regulations, 1957.
What is the difference between an official and a competent person?
An official is a supervisor appointed in writing for supervision duties and includes the listed posts. A competent person is someone aged 20 or more, appointed in writing for specific work or for operating machinery, plant or equipment. A shot-firer counts as a competent person.
What is a ventilation district?
A part of the mine below ground that has an independent intake airway and an independent return airway.
What is the financial year in CMR 2017?
The twelve months from 1 April to 31 March.
Where can I practise questions on these definitions?
Try our Mining Legislation MCQs and the Mining Safety MCQ Series.
Related Posts
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- 👉 MSHA Safety Rules for Underground Coal Mines
- 👉 Mine Gases and Firedamp: Questions and Answers
- 👉 Mine Ventilation Formulas for GATE
For more notes, visit the Indian Minerology homepage.
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