DUTCH BOFFINs

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 16th Year

Issue

Issue No.

10

Date Released

Jun 1963

Length of issue (in feet)

896

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1DUTCH BOFFINs
2. 2COAL BIRDS
3. 3BLAST IT!
4. 4PRIDE OF THE LODGE

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: the Dutch State Mines, like Britain, have a mining research establishment.
NCB Commentary - 30 years ago the Dutch State Mines founded their own Mining Research Establishment - to study mining, mechanical and coal preparation problems.
Unlike most other kinds of industry, coal mining becomes more difficult as a mine grows older - only new methods of winning coal can keep the market price of coal competitive.
On a miniature coal face - a model coal plough is being tested, using artificial coal which has the toughness of the real thing.
Here a Titan pit prop is being tested under mechanical pressure.
Inside a wind tunnel is a model of a mine shaft with lining and cage - handy to get at without falling down the shaft. And what about the business of burning the coal - here in a large hall an assortment of stoves burn merrily on - not for the immediate benefit of father-home-from-work or a sleeping cat - but to find ways of making the coal hotter and longer burning and therfore cheaper for those who know a good thing when they see it. Dutch research is keeping Holland’s home fires burning.

Keywords

Science and technology; Mining; Fuels

Locations

Netherlands

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
The British National Film Catalogue   Vol.1 1963, p.56
The National Archives COAL 32   /13 Scripts for Mining Review, 1960-1963

Credits:

Sponsor

National Coal Board

Production Co.

National Coal Board Film Unit