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MAPLE CREEK MINE & HAZEL KIRK

Dec. 2002 image by author

This is the Maple Creek Preparation Plant, built in 1959 by U.S. Steel, at New Eagle, PA. Bob Murray purchased the operation in 1995 and operated it as Maple Creek Mining, Inc. That small white cylindrical bin next to the plant stored the sand media.

Dec. 2002 image by author

According to the plant manager, the Maple Creek Prep Plant was the last one in Pennsylvania still using Deister Tables like this one. There were 24 of them.

Materials courtesy U.S. Steel Resources, Uniontown, PA - scanned by author

Actutal photo of one of the Deister Tables at the Maple Creek plant when they were new.

Department of Energy image

Diagram of a Deister Table, or more generically, a concentrating table.

Dec. 2002 image by author

I was also told that the Maple Creek plant was the only plant left in North America using a Chance sand cone like this one. This is a type of washer introduced from Europe during World War I that uses a sand and water medium. It has been displaced by magnetite "heavy media" washers.

Dec. 2002 image by author

The blending bins at the Maple Creek coal processing area. The plant was rated at 915 TPH at the time of this photo.

Materials courtesy U.S. Steel Resources, Uniontown, PA - scanned by author

Diagram of the Maple Creek coal preparation complex from the original dedication pamphlet.

Oct. 2009 image by author

Unfortunately in 2009 the 50 year old Maple Creek preparation plant was dismantled. The Maple Creek mine had closed a few years earlier, as did Murray Energy's High Quality Mine that also fed raw coal into this plant.

Aug. 2003 image by author

The Maple Creek mine was using this shaft head frame until the early 21st Century. The historic structure was originally located at Leisenring No. 2 in Fayette County, and, after that mine was abandoned in 1957, U.S. Steel relocated it here. Unfortunately, it has been demolished.

Aug. 2003 image by author

Detail of the sheaves at the top of the head frame.

Apr. 2015 image by author

Features of the Maple Creek mine were visible for miles around the area, such as the refuse dump, Ginger Hill shaft frame, Spinner Shaft man portal, and these repair shops that were located at Hazel Kirk, Pa.

Apr. 2015 image by author

Old coal mining equipment sitting around the defunct Hazel Kirk mine shops.

Apr. 2015 image by author

Some Hazel Kirk coal company housing is visable in the background of this picture of rusting mine equipment at the old Maple Creek shops.

Mar. 2004 image by author

There are only a few surviving coal patch houses at Hazel Kirk, PA. In the background can be seen Maple Creek mine's conveyor crossing the road beyond the houses. The Hazel Kirk Coal Company was the operator of the original mines here, and here is a webpage about the mine disaster that occured in Hazel Kirk No. 2.

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