Breese Quadrangle

Mining in the Breese Quadrangle

The Herrin Coal was mined near Breese, where the coal was between 400 and 430 feet deep. Mining took place near the town from 1882 until 1961. The Southern Coal Company operated a mine (their No. 10 Mine, mine index 332) about 3 miles south of Breese, near Germantown, and the southwestern part of the quadrangle was mined by Monterey Coal Company (mine index 974). The Monterey Mine is by far the most extensive mine in the area, undermining over 7,000 acres during 19 years of operation. The East Breese Mine (mine index 198) operated the longest, for 74 years (1887 to 1961).

Areas of poor roof conditions were common. In some cases, the conditions were reported in the mine notes, and in other cases, the mining pattern on the source maps showed un-mined areas within the mine that were probably inaccessible because of poor roof. The introduction of roof bolting after 1940 resulted in the more regular mine plan and higher recovery in the Monterey Mine than in the older parts of the mines near Breese. Some of the un-mined areas may have been left because of poor coal quality. Rolls were reported in the Monterey Mine, as well as a clay dike and partings in the seam. These conditions may have been present in the older mines as well.