Underground Mine Foreman Illustrated

Look Inside the Book

Every page has one big drawing and a box with the numbers and rules you need to know:

Preshift within 3 hours, countersigned by the foreman by his next shift.

CO: 50 ppm 8-hour limit; belt sensors alert at 5 and alarm at 10 ppm above ambient

Parallel splits: lower resistance and no section breathes another's dust or gas.

75.326: at least 60 fpm mean entry velocity, V = Q ÷ A

Roof control plan: reviewed by MSHA every 6 months (30 CFR 75.223)

Preshift, supplemental, onshift and weekly exams in the same 4 steps.

Quarterly drills alternating escapeways; map updated by end of shift (75.1504, 75.1505)

Numbers, methane table, one air problem a day, one mine map, the 4-step exam frame and your state's paperwork.

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These are real pages from the book. The table of contents is the full one: 8 parts and 60 topics.

The Problem Isn't You. It's How It Was Explained to You.

You're at the kitchen table after a hoot-owl shift, ventilation chapter open, trying to follow the air from the main fan to the face and back out the return.

The manual walks it through in paragraphs: intake entries, crosscuts, stoppings, regulators, one sentence after another. You've breathed that air for twenty years, but on paper you lose it somewhere past the section.

In the book, the air path is one drawing: fan, intake, section, last open crosscut, return and back to the fan, as a single loop. Every stopping and overcast sits right where it would underground.

The same goes for the methane color scale, the bolting pattern, the preshift exam and the two escapeways: each one has its own page.

You see the circuit, you understand it, and you can trace it on a mine map without going back to the manual.

COMPARE FOR YOURSELF

Same Topic, Two Ways to Study It

THIS

The manual: line after line after line
Gas limits explained only in words
You walk into the exam unsure

Normal atmospheric air is composed principally of nitrogen, approximately 78 percent by volume, and oxygen, approximately 20.9 percent by volume, with argon, carbon dioxide and trace gases constituting the remainder. As air travels through the underground workings, its composition is progressively altered by the respiration of persons, the oxidation of coal and timber, the operation of equipment and the liberation of strata gases. Pursuant to 30 CFR 75.321, the air in all active workings where persons work or travel shall contain not less than 19.5 percent oxygen and not more than 0.5 percent carbon dioxide.

FOR THIS

Normal air and mine air in one drawing
19.5% O2 minimum, 0.5% CO2 maximum in one box
The 30 CFR 75.321 citation right under the box

CONTENTS

Take a Look at the 8 Parts and 60 Topics

The foreman and the exam, mine air and gases, the ventilation system, air math, roof control, mine examinations, escape and fire prevention, and review: 64 pages, all illustrated.

IThe Foreman, the Fire Boss and the Exam · pp. 5-9

Foreman vs. Fire Boss: Two Papers, Two Jobs
How the State Exam Is Built
Federal Law vs. State Law: Which Number Wins
How to Read a 30 CFR Citation
The Plans You Must Know Cold

IIMine Air and Mine Gases · pp. 10-17

Normal Air vs. Mine Air
Methane (CH4): Light, Odorless, Explosive
The Methane Color Scale
Carbon Monoxide (CO): The Fire Gas
CO2, H2S, NO2 and Oxygen Deficiency
The Damps: Black, White, Stink, Fire, After
The Handheld Multigas Detector
How to Take a Methane Test the Right Way

IIIThe Ventilation System · pp. 18-26

The Air Path: From Main Fan to the Face and Back
Intake, Return, Neutral and Belt Air
Stoppings, Overcasts, Regulators and Doors
Face Ventilation: Line Curtain and Tubing
The Minimum Air at the Face
Splits: Parallel Air for Each Section
The Square Law: Pressure and Air Quantity
Main Fan Rules
Bleeders and Gob Ventilation

IVAir Measurement and Math · pp. 27-33

The One Formula: Q = V × A
Measuring the Entry Area
The Anemometer Traverse
Smoke Tube for Low Velocity
Worked Problem: Air in the Last Open Crosscut
Mean Entry Velocity in Exhausting Systems
Methane Liberation in cfm

VRoof and Rib Control · pp. 34-41

The Roof Control Plan
Never Under Unsupported Roof
The Bolting Pattern You Can See
How Roof Bolts Work
Temporary Support and the ATRS
Reading Roof Danger Signs
Sound and Tap: Checking Roof and Ribs
Pillar Recovery and Retreat Mining

VIPreshift, Onshift and Weekly Exams · pp. 42-50

Every Exam in the Same 4 Steps
The Preshift Examination
Preshift: Initials, Date and Time
The Supplemental Examination
The Onshift Examination
The Weekly Examination
Hazardous Conditions: Danger Sign and Correction
What Goes in the Record Book
The Methane Action Table

VIIEscape, Fire and Explosion Prevention · pp. 51-58

Two Escapeways: Primary and Alternate
Lifelines and Directional Cones
SCSRs: Wear, Store, Change Over
Refuge Alternatives
Escapeway Drills and the Escapeway Map
Rock Dust: The 80% Rule
Permissible Equipment and Ignition Sources
Belt Air and CO Monitoring

VIIIReview and Practice · pp. 59-64

Reading a Mine Map
All the Numbers on One Page
Section by Section: The Regulation Map
The Preshift Walk, Start to Finish
The Most Frequent Mistakes, Before & After
Last-Week Checklist Before the Exam

One Page, One Topic, All Clear

Think of it this way:

The exam puts a section in front of you and asks how much air reaches the last open crosscut. You have an anemometer reading and an entry size, and you need one number.

In the book, you open the page for Q = V × A and see the formula worked with real numbers: 120 fpm times 75 square feet is 9,000 cfm, the federal minimum at the last open crosscut, one step at a time.

Same with the air path, the roof control plan, the preshift exam, the two escapeways and the mine map: each one on its own page.

Underground Mine Foreman Illustrated is 8 parts and 60 topics, all drawn, and it closes with a mine map to read, all the numbers on one page and a last-week checklist.

What you see drawn, you don't have to memorize.

What's Inside Underground Mine Foreman Illustrated:

Ipp. 5-9

The Foreman, the Fire Boss and the Exam

Foreman vs. fire boss, how the state exam is built, which number wins between federal and state law, how to read a 30 CFR citation and the plans you must know cold. You know what each paper covers before you open the rest.

IIpp. 10-17

Mine Air and Mine Gases

Normal air vs. mine air, methane and its color scale, carbon monoxide, CO2, H2S, NO2 and low oxygen, the damps, the multigas detector and how to take a methane test.

IIIpp. 18-26

The Ventilation System

The air path from main fan to face, intake, return, neutral and belt air, stoppings, overcasts, regulators and doors, line curtain, splits, main fan rules and bleeders.

IVpp. 27-33

Air Measurement and Math

Q = V × A, measuring the entry, the anemometer traverse, the smoke tube, the last open crosscut worked out, mean entry velocity and methane liberation.

Vpp. 34-41

Roof and Rib Control

The roof control plan, never under unsupported roof, the bolting pattern, how bolts work, temporary support and ATRS, danger signs, sound and tap, and retreat mining.

VIpp. 42-50

Preshift, Onshift and Weekly Exams

Every exam in the same 4 steps: preshift, supplemental, onshift and weekly, hazardous conditions and danger signs, the record book and the methane action table. Four exams stop being four separate lists.

VIIpp. 51-58

Escape, Fire and Explosion Prevention

Primary and alternate escapeways, lifelines and cones, SCSRs, refuge alternatives, drills and the escapeway map, rock dust, permissible equipment and CO monitoring.

VIIIpp. 59-64

Review and Practice

Reading a mine map, all the numbers on one page, the regulation map, the preshift walk start to finish, the most frequent mistakes and a last-week checklist.

At the end of the book: A mine map to read, all the numbers on one page, the preshift walk start to finish and a last-week checklist.

SHOW ME WHAT'S INSIDE

Plus: 2 Free Books

BONUS 1: «Mine Foreman Practice Questions: 150 Exam-Style Questions with Answers»

Value on its own: US$ 17.90

Practice with questions written like the state exam, from air readings to escapeways, and see the page that explains each answer.

BONUS 2: «The 15 Most Frequent Foreman Mistakes, Before & After»

Value on its own: US$ 14.90

Spot the errors that trip up experienced miners, like mixing up intake and return or misreading a methane limit, each one drawn wrong and then right.

Underground Mine Foreman Illustrated with 2 Free Books

Underground Mine Foreman Illustrated: 64 illustrated pagesUS$ 63
BONUS 1: Mine Foreman Practice Questions: 150 Exam-Style Questions with AnswersUS$ 17.90
BONUS 2: The 15 Most Frequent Foreman Mistakes, Before & AfterUS$ 14.90
High-resolution PDF to printIncluded

~~Total value US$ 95.80~~

YOUR PRICE:

US$ 27

You save US$ 68.80

YES, I WANT UNDERGROUND MINE FOREMAN ILLUSTRATED FOR US$ 27

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PDF by email: We email you Underground Mine Foreman Illustrated as a PDF, together with the two free books. It's a single payment: no installments, no extra charges.

Who This Book Is For

You're studying for your papers

Each topic of the foreman or fire boss exam has its own drawing, so you can go through it a page at a time on your breaks.

Your exam date is set

All the numbers on one page, the air math worked step by step and a last-week checklist to review what matters.

You already run a section

The rules behind what you do every shift, drawn and ordered, so the exam's wording finally matches the work you know.

Everything You Get Today

Underground Mine Foreman Illustrated: 64 illustrated pages in 8 parts, from foreman vs. fire boss to the last-week checklist
A mine map to read, all the numbers on one page, the preshift walk start to finish and a last-week checklist
Bonus 1: “Mine Foreman Practice Questions: 150 Exam-Style Questions with Answers” (worth US$ 17.90)
Bonus 2: “The 15 Most Frequent Foreman Mistakes, Before & After” (worth US$ 14.90)
It arrives by email: open it on your phone or print it at home
30-day guarantee

~~US$ 95.80~~US$ 27

YES, I WANT UNDERGROUND MINE FOREMAN ILLUSTRATED FOR US$ 27

📄 This is a digital PDF book sent to your email: nothing is printed or shipped.

30DAYS
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Try Underground Mine Foreman Illustrated for 30 days, bonus books included.

We refund everything if the file won't open, if the book isn't what you see here, if you were charged twice or if the email doesn't arrive. Just email us.

You pay once. No subscriptions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this for me if I've been mining for years and just need the papers?

Yes. It isn't a beginner's book: it's organized around the topics the foreman and fire boss exams cover, with the rules you already apply underground drawn and in order.

Does it work for my state's exam (KY, WV, PA, VA, AL)?

It's built on 30 CFR Part 75 (current eCFR text) and cross-checked against the coal mining laws of Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Alabama, whatever your state calls the papers: mine foreman, fire boss or assistant mine foreman. Part 1 shows how the state exam is built and which number wins when federal and state law differ. It doesn't reproduce every state code word for word, so confirm specific requirements with your state agency.

Is this official material?

No. It's an independent study book, not published or endorsed by MSHA or by any state mining agency. It doesn't give you a certificate or count as training hours: your papers come only from passing your state's exam.

Does it replace a foreman course or state training?

No. It's a study aid to review alongside your course, the required training and your mine's approved plans.

Are the practice questions the ones on the exam?

No. They're written for this book, in the style of the exam, to practice the topics. They aren't official questions from any exam.

When and how do I get it?

As a PDF by email, sent to the address you enter at checkout. The 2 bonus books come the same way.

What if I test outside KY, WV, PA, VA or AL?

The core of the book is 30 CFR Part 75, the federal rule for every underground coal mine, so it applies wherever you test. Where a state sets a stricter number, the book shows which one wins. If your state isn't one of these five, confirm its specific requirements with your state agency.

Can I have it on paper?

Yes. The PDF is printable, so you can print it at home or at a print shop and keep it in your bag or at the bathhouse.

How does the refund work?

You have 30 days. We refund everything if the file won't open, if the book isn't what you see on this page, if you were charged twice or if the email doesn't arrive: just email us.

Before You Close This Page

No more rereading without anything sticking.

The air path from fan to face: you see it drawn, and that's it.

You walk into the exam knowing where everything is.

Drawings make studying faster.

The book is right below.

One-time payment: US$ 27 · Guarantee: 30 days · PDF by email

YES, I WANT UNDERGROUND MINE FOREMAN ILLUSTRATED FOR US$ 27

📄 This is a digital PDF book sent to your email: nothing is printed or shipped.