CARDIFF COLLEGE

Series

Series Name: Mining Review 11th Year

Issue

Issue No.

Date Released

Mar 1958

Stories in this Issue:

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: Mining Department of the University College of South Wales moves into the first half of its new building; The Department of Mines’ new house at the University College of South Wales. The first woman to hold a Coal Board Scholarship.
NCB Commentary - Cardiff, naturally enough, has a tradition to maintain in mining instruction.
Today, the Mining Department of the University College of South Wales has moved into the firsst half of its new permanent building, while the remainder is still under construction.
This new six story building houses modern facilities and first-rate equipment to serve students who some from all over the world.
Lecture rooms and laboratories have been tailor-made for the job.
When finally completed, the new building will be one of the most modern of its kind.
The heavy equipment is all housed in the basement. There’s mine pump testing gear and here’s a pilot plant for studying coal preparation techniques.
This apparatus for analysing mine gases was built by the school’s chief technician who has been with the Department for 29 years.
At Cardiff, they’ve now got an electron microscope, mainly used for research into dust, although other departments can use it too. Enlargements of up to 200 thousand times the original size can be made using this instrument.
With lecturer John Platt, here’s Mary O’Neil, first Welsh woman to be awarded a National Coal Board scholarship to a University.
She’s taking a degree in industrial relations in the mining industry.
Her interest in the pits dates from the days she spent in the Rhondda.
She still likes to walk around the valleys and runs into many mining friends.
Most of her courses are based on New College, Cardiff.
Mary O’Neil believes that there’s an important part which women can play in human relations in the mining industry.
Before winning her scholarship, she had already spent time working for the Coal Board and when she graduates she hopes to take up a full time appointment in an industry in which, up to now, the employment of women qualified by academic training has found little scope.

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