For more than 100 years, the West Virginia University Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources Mining Extension program has stood as a cornerstone of progress and education, shaping countless students’ careers and transforming the landscapes of both the mining industry and the Mountain State.
Ahead of the Coal Rush game for the Mountaineers Saturday, October 12, former Mining Extension Director Jim Dean and current Mining Extension Director Joshua Brady are reflecting on the program’s profound impact and service to the state over its 111 years and its vision for the future.
Through struggle comes triumph
After a number of tragic mining accidents in the late 1800s, the state of West Virginia created the Department of Mines in 1905. In response to calls for more regulation and industry oversight, Congress followed suit, forming the United States Bureau of Mines in 1910. The Mining Extension program, which opened in 1913, was established in response to the growing demand for skilled professionals in the mining industry. West Virginia’s abundant natural resources drove an economic boom and, in turn, increased the demand for skilled workers and engineers.
From its early days, the program mission was clear — to equip students with technical expertise and a commitment to improving safety. The industry saw its highest employment in 1940 with more than 130,000 workers, and even though mining thrived in West Virginia, it remained a taxing profession. As the industry evolved so did the curriculum, incorporating cutting-edge technologies, emergency preparedness and safety practices that now define modern mining.
In 1995, a year after Dean took the helm as director of WVU Mining Extension, West Virginia coal production hit its peak at more than 181 million tons.
“When I started, the program had strong industry ties because it had been serving the people working in the industry for many, many years,” Dean said.
In the beginning, the Mining Academy in Beckley housed much of the program. Some of the mainstays were apprentice miner training, electrical training and mine foreman training to help those working in the mining industry advance their careers. There were big dreams to expand the program, but as Dean soon learned, the impetus and resources to make them a reality were hard to come by.
“For many years there were a lot of ideas and rough sketches about how to build a simulated underground mine for doing emergency response-style training. Setting out to do that and then actually securing the funding — that was a defining moment.”
Construction for the Academy for Mine Training and Energy Technologies at WVU, more commonly known as Dolls Run, started in 2008. The live fire area and half of the mine were built during the first year of funding, but the program didn’t have the resources to complete it.
“We didn’t know whether we were going to get the money to build the rest of it,” Dean added.
Two years earlier, a mine disaster trapped 13 miners for more than two days. A number of other accidents in 2006 renewed the focus for better training and safety protocols, and Dean faced a challenging road ahead.
Legacy of excellence
“It was a very challenging time for mining and everyone associated with it. It was one of the worst years for the collective industry in many years, especially for the state of West Virginia,” Dean recalled.
“During that time when I lectured students in the mine management and safety class, I said ‘At some point in your career, you’ll have the opportunity to impact mine safety and health. You’ll know when it happens and you need to stand up. Though it may be difficult, you need to follow through.’”
And that’s exactly what Dean did. On his birthday in 2006, he received a call from the governor asking him to lead the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training. Dean stepped in that year to serve as the office’s director, working with industry, labor and vendors to make recommended regulatory changes. They needed experts in the field to help them ensure compliance with updated safety laws and the program delivered.
After working closely with industry partners and legislators, the funding finally came through to complete the state-of-the-art training center. The new simulated mine facility at Dolls Run, built on land donated to WVU by Consol Energy, opened its doors in 2009.
“I’m very proud to say that what’s sitting out there, there’s not a federal dime in any of it,” Dean said. “It came from industry, from vendors and proudly from the state of West Virginia. On behalf of the entire department, we are grateful to everyone who supported these efforts.”
Over the last 15 years, that dedication has led Mining Extension agents at Dolls Run to conduct countless hours of training for miners from 15 states and multiple companies from around the globe, ensuring access to the latest technologies and best practices to keep miners safe.
In the past year alone, the Mining Extension staff has worked with more than 21 different mining companies, instructing and certifying over 3,376 miners. They have integrated their expertise into the mining engineering curriculum and trained 25 mine rescue teams, as well as two WVU collegiate teams.
Today, Brady and the WVU Mine Rescue Teams have 13 wins under their belt, beating out teams from all over the world in 18 mine rescue competitions over the last eight years.
Graduates of the program have gone on to become leaders in the field, influencing mining practices not just in the state, but globally. Their contributions range from pioneering safer extraction methods to championing emergency preparedness, showcasing the program’s commitment to developing responsible industry leaders.
“When you’ve got a chance to be involved with building something that has the opportunity to affect human beings in a positive nature, that’s an amazing place to be,” Brady said. “There are other training facilities, it’s our people that set us apart.”
