Scientists, Executive Clash Over Quake (Utah mine)

[rodeodance]

Source: ap





Posted on Wed, Aug. 08, 2007

Scientists, Executive Clash Over Quake
ALICIA CHANG
The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - Did an earthquake cause a Utah coal mine to cave in, or did the mine collapse trigger the tremors?

A fierce dispute erupted over that question Tuesday, with a top mine executive declaring on national television that he has the science to prove a quake caused the collapse. But seismologists said their instruments recorded shaking from the cave-in and not a natural temblor.

Scientists believe the seismic waves in the area of the Crandall Canyon mine were "the signature of the collapse and that the collapse was not caused by an earthquake," said James W. Dewey, a seismologist at the National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colo.

Scientists have not ruled out a natural earthquake since the region surrounding the mine is seismically active, and they do not know the exact time the mine collapsed.

........

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/nation_world/20070808_ap_scientistsexecutiveclashoverquake.html

[SpiralHawk]

1. The mine owner 'thinks' global warming is a hoax, also

Another pathetic republicon Homelander kool-aid imbiber.

How perfectly pathetic.

[mikeytherat]

2. Well, one side of this debate, science, has shown the data and conclusions.

The other side claims he has the science, but he has not produced it. He also formed his mining company on advice from a talking squirrel. Seriously:

http://www.umwa.org/journal/VOL112NO4/july1.shtml

:crazy:

mikey_the_rat

[rodeodance]

3. Ha ha. thats for that. What a hoot

[rodeodance]

4. Links:

There have been numerous examples of mine collapses triggering ground vibrations sometimes confused with quakes. The USGS has recorded at least seven such instances since 1994, including last year's collapse of an abandoned mine in Virginia that registered a 4.3 magnitude.

Although mining activities have been shown to produce quakes, the opposite is rare. Scientists say it's unusual for a temblor to damage a mine unless it was a big one. In 1976, a 7.8 magnitude quake in China wreaked havoc on coal mines beneath the city of Tangshan.

There are no recorded cases in Utah's history of a natural quake triggering a mine collapse, said Walter Arabasz, director of the University of Utah's seismograph stations.

The Crandall Canyon mine is built into a mountain in the rugged Manti-La Sal National Forest, 140 miles south of Salt Lake City, in a sparsely populated area. The region is crisscrossed with geologic faults, and in 1988, a 5.2 magnitude temblor struck 25 miles southeast of the mine.

,,,

AP researcher Rhonda Shafner contributed to this report.

,,,

On the Net:

U.S. Geological Survey: http://www.usgs.gov

University of Utah Seismograph Stations: http://quake.utah.edu

[Newsjock]

5. Mission accomplished

Established scientific fact has now been distorted into a perverse form of "some people say ... others disagree," truth be damned.

When will journalists again have the intestinal fortitude to call a lie what it is?

[Hugin]

6. Yep... They're totally overlooking the obvious...

"Conflict of Interest" inherent in the MINE OWNER'S statement and the fact the Scientists have
no such conflict. Why would they?

I haven't heard wide reporting of the "Squirrel Story" in a higher post either. Ah, they're
all bought and paid for...

[gratuitous]

7. I wonder why the mine owner hasn't produced his "proof"?

Maybe his pet squirrel hasn't finished the report yet. Notoriously short attention spans on those little rodents. Can't stay focused on a task for diddly.

[mikeytherat]

8. Give the man a break, will you? The proof is, unfortunately, buried in the mine

along with the leprechaun who stole it from him. The squirrel had nothing to do with it. This time.

mikey_the_rat

[paparush]

9. Damn scientist with all their icky proof and stuff..