Randolph C: Sparta, IL: Consol/Truax Burning Star #3 Coal Mine

(Satellite)

William J. Beck posted seven photos with the comment: "In 1975 Consolidation Coal's Burning Star #3 mine was moving their Marion 5860 (80 cu yd bucket) stripping shovel to the other end of the pit. Fortunately the machine was on solid coal, unfortunately a large rainfall occurred. The highwall became saturated and slide into the pit and onto the shovel covering the crawlers. As you can see in one of the photos, a set of crawlers were disconnected until it could be repaired, if the crawlers were fully operational they maybe could have powered through the dirt, instead they had to dig it out."

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Directory

The tree line of the spur from the UP/MoPac/Missouri-Illinois/Illinois Southern mainline is still very visible.

Satellite

All of the green in this excerpt was the mine.

Map

Satellite

This was the extent of the mine by 1970.

1970 Walsh Quadrangle @ 1:24,000

George Louis posted
CONSOL Burning Star #3 Baseball cap.... 1,000,000 man hours without a lost time injury (June 1977)

William J. Beck posted six photos with the comment: "Here are a few more photos from Consolidation Coal's Burning Star #3 mine taken October 1974. The Marion 5860 stripping shovel was down for some repairs and I took the opportunity to walk up the boom to the point sheaves (approximately 160 feet above the coal seam). A Bucyrus Erie 1150 dragline (a 28 cu yd bucket if I remember correctly) is operating is another pit at the mine. Coal loading was done by a Marion 181 shovel."

Dennis DeBruler shared with the comment: "Burning Star #3 was southwest of Sparta, IL, and operated during 1966-82."

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Facebook comments on a share

William J. Beck posted four photos with the comment: "A few more photos from Consolidation Coal Company's Burning Star #3 located south of Sparta Illinois. The BE 1150 dragline (23 cu yd bucket) was down for repair and the photos were taken from the point sheaves of the boom. The photos were taken October 1974."

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William J. Beck posted three photos with the comment: "For the dragline fans, here are a few photos of the BE 1150 dragline at Consolidation Coal Company's Burning Star #3 mine located south of Sparta, Illinois. The photos were taken around June 1975. The dragline has a 23 cu yd bucket."

Dennis DeBruler shared

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William J. Beck posted two photos with the comment: "A couple more photos of the pit for the Marion 5860 (80 cu yd bucket) at Consolidation Coal's Burning Star #3 mine located south of Sparta Illinois. The photos were taken around June 1975. The first photo shows the overburden shot and ready for the stripping shovel. The shovel will travel on a full pit of coal and then tail into stripping the shot overburden and casting it into the area where the coal has been removed. The second photo shows the Marion 181 coal loader loading coal in the pit. Ideally, the pit would be straight, but you can see the inside and outside curves of the pit. Also, by using the Robbins horizontal drill with some difficulty getting a constant depth and angle in the pit, coupled with the inefficient placement of the explosives, the highwall was not straight. With a vertical overburden drill the progression of a straight highwall could easily be attained."

Dennis DeBruler shared

Myron Dudenbostel: Notice the water truck in the lower photo....

Myron Dudenbostel: Top photo.. East end of the pit...

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William J. Beck posted diagrams and specifications for the Marion 5860 shovel and 5872 WX.