Communication just received from CCIS, posted here for your information.

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New Crofton Co-op Colliery’s finance raising is continuing to go well, with several social investors getting close to signing loan deals, and discussions with equipment manufacturers and potential buyers for the coal at advanced stages.

Many thanks to those of you who have already signed up for the CCIS Community Share issue which will be invested in NCCC when the remainder of the finance has been secured. The offer is due to close on 31st March, and it would be helpful to have received as much as possible by then, as it will reduce the amount that NCCC might need to go to the bank for in order to bridge the gap and get the project started, hopefully later this year.

The offer document and the application form are both available from our website (www.ccis.uk.com), and if you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Finally, if you would like to be removed from any future mailings, please let us know.

Kindest regards,

Toby

Toby White
Coalfield Community Investment Society Limited

17 Oak Drive, Garforth, Leeds. LS25 1PQ

T: +44 (0)7731 970 692
E: [email protected]
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This message is posted without any endorsement, nor do I have any connection whatsoever with CCIS. Any considerations of investment should bear in mind associated risks, and should be subject to due diligence.

MARK

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So, you thought things had all gone quiet with this one? Nope!

A lot of planning and paperwork has been done by the team, headed by Toby White, as well as some groundworks on site.

from email to shareholders:
>

The CCIS share offer remains open should anyone wish to offer financial support.

One minor speedbump not yet fully resolved is HS2's plans to build a maintenance depot at Crofton, partly on land already granted planning permission for the colliery. This is being opposed by local residents, as it is generally felt that the colliery represents a better investment for the community.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/162601 

Since my last post on the subject I am now a shareholder in CCIS so declare an Interest. and I've also signed the petition.

will keep you updated!

MARK

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One question,
Is the company considering changing their method of mining,as the proposed method was bulk coal oriented,producing a large amount of duff?

Yes, absolutely!

The continuous miners are to be used for driving drifts and roadways but the coal will be cut by drilling and blasting giving a higher proportion of doubles & trebles.

MARK

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How much less duff does the company anticipate through production with boring and firing against the original method of continuous miner`s?
What method of handling the bored and fired coal is to be used,is it long or short wall conveyor faces or joy type loaders in a pillar and stall fashion?

I don't have the figures for the size distribution of the mined product, I guess much will depend on how hard/brittle the seams are and the skill of those mining them!

Mining will proceed as room-&-pillar workings with loaders and conveyors, with a projected 55% extraction from 5 seams in the Sharlston series between 50-140m depth

http://www.ccis.uk.com/NCCC_01/presentation.html 

MARK

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Bore and blast will be hard work, I wonder if people will sign up for that? Didn't the likes of Hay Royds struggle to buy mining grade explosives? I wonder if Crofton will have the same issues?

Not sure where I read it,but apparently mining grade explosive comes from Spain nowadays and several mines had trouble acquiring it on a regular basis,maybe a large user may have better availability of the product.

Bore and fire is more strenuous than operating a CM,but not what I`d call hard work,the hard work will be finding a market for all the duff.

ECP at Alfreton not doing it anymore??, worked there just after leaving school ('60's), mind you, even way back then the writing was on the wall and they were trending towards ANFO based quarry stuff---.

But, then again when I was mining in the '80's, we were using tons and tons of their Gelmex sticks, Anfo doesn't like damp-----!

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The second CCIS AGM was held in Crofton on Saturday 15/7/17.

Very briefly, the project is still very much alive, although the startup and scope is dependent on the proposed HS2 Rolling Stock Depot which, in its current proposed form, will sterilise up to 10% of available coal reserves and influence the location of the drifts.

A decision on HS2 is imminent which will enable work to start on the Colliery infrastructure and thereby release a tranche of funding from social investors.

more on this in due course

MARK

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Good News for Crofton, at least.

Looks like the proposed rolling stock depot will now be situated elsewhere.

This means that 40,000 tons of the most accessible coal will remain available to mine, the drifts can be situated in the preferred location, and the projected increase in road-hauled coal eliminated.

Work on the mine can now hopefully proceed, and Ministers will still be able to have morning coffee in Leeds and be back in London in time for lunch.

MARK

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I see that they are roof bolting - will they attempt pillar recovery? There seems to be a lot of coal remaining u/g (45%?) It would seem wise to try some sort of packing technique to extract as they retreat. And presumably the various seams need to be worked carefully ...and I assume they will start on the top seam and work down.... or are they expecting to leave a 3 layer void between 50 and 90 metres down. Surely not? So if they expect it to collapse wouldn't a retreat system be better and more productive?

I expect the colliers amongst you can tell I'm a metal man and talking rubbish but it interests me.:lol:

The plan is to work pillar-and room with roof-bolting and recovering 55% of the seam, allowing the pillars to gradually crush after vacating. Backfill has been looked at but just adds cost to solve a problem which is managed anyway. No surface structures are undermined so any subsidence will be on arable land.

A washery will treat coal mined from the Sharlston Muck Seam, with the washings piped underground to settle behind dams in abandoned parts of the workings, thereby eliminating the need to dispose of the slurry off-site.

MARK

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Latest:

although HS2 has indicated a preference for a more easterly route, safeguarding has yet to be lifted on the section within the mine curtilage, so no resolution to the uncertainty yet.

MARK

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Just returned from the CCIS AGM and progress is being made.

The HS2 rolling stock depot is now planned for a brownfield site in Leeds (where I hear, it is both wanted and welcome), thereby removing the siting constraints on the Crofton drifts

In order to initiate the permitted development, the reinforced concrete lintels for the drift portals have now been cast in-situ, in 3m deep trenches cut down to the stonehead, and effectively mark the commencement of construction.

It is planned to use a Dosco LH1300 roadheader (as opposed to a continuous miner) to drive the drifts and roadways, the sandstone being judged friable enough to be cut without blasting.

More good news expected soon

MARK

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Thanks for the update Mark. I was starting to fear the worst for this project, really good to hear the more encouraging news.

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hi bob, i had a wk there last saturday lol.