US company to assist Ukraine on mine safety

A joint US-Ukrainian project to drill horizontal underground degasification boreholes in Ukrainian mines is set to begin within the next few days. As reported to a Rosbalt correspondent by the Ukrainian Committee for Labor Safety, the work will help reduce the death rate in the country's coal mines by reducing the risk of methane explosions. In order to do that, methane levels have to be reduced through better ventilation and an improved system of degasification boreholes.

The work will be carried out by the Bureau of International Labor Affairs, US DOL (ILAB), while the American company PEER will contribute USD 2.15 million to the project. The company has long-standing experience drilling boreholes, which have been successfully used in Australia, India and China.