Mining Glossary to showcase at European conference

Glossary aims to secure mining terminology following loss of knowledge associated with industry’s demise

KEITH Nicholls, principal geotechnical engineer at Opus International Consultants, will speak at next month’s European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering and share with delegates his latest ‘Glossary of Terms Used in the Historic British Mine Working Industry’.

The Glossary aims to secure some of the mining industry’s terminology following the loss of knowledge associated to the industry’s demise in the UK.

In its introduction, Mr Nicholls talks about the need for developers to consider past activities affecting the ground: ‘As development proceeds apace, and marginal sites around our urban fringes are found to be increasingly attractive to developers, a sound understanding of the nature of the past activities which affect the ground, both at surface and beneath, is essential to minimize risks, and indeed to minimize the risk of unnecessary costs in developing sites affected by past mining’.

Currently seconded from Opus to Network Rail in Manchester, Mr Nicholls is working in the Civils Works Delivery Group on a wide range of geotechnical schemes in the north-west of England, some of which are affected by historic mine workings.

Anyone with feedback or comments on the Glossary, which can be viewed online, is urged to contact: Keith.Nicholls@opusinternational.co.uk