Glossary of coal mining terminology


This is a partial glossary of coal mining terminology commonly used in the coalfields of the United Kingdom. Some words were in use throughout the coalfields, some are historic and some are local to the different British coalfields.

A

Adit
Afterdamp
Agent
Airway

B

Bank, pit bank or pit brow
Banksman or banker
Bell
Bevin Boys
Bell pit
Bind
Bituminous coal
Blackdamp
Blower
Brattice
Bump
Butterfly
Butty

C

Cage
Chargehand
Charter master
Chock
Collier
Contraband

D

Damp
Dataller
Davy lamp
Day level
Deep
Deputy
Dip
District
Doggy
Downcast, downcast shaft
Downthrow
Drawer
Drift

E

Engine pit
Engineer
Engineman
Eye or pit-eye

F

Face or coal face
Firedamp
Fitter
Furnace, furnace pit

G

Gannister
Garland
Gate
Goaf, gove or gob

H

Headframe, headstocks or headgear
Heading
Heave
Hewer
Hurrier, putter, drawer or waggoner

I

Inbye
Inset
Intake

J

Jenkin
Jud

K

Koepe winding

L

Lampman
Level
Longwall face

M

Main gate
Man winding
Manager
Master shifter

N

NACODS

O

Official
Onsetter
Outbye
Outcrop
Overcast
Overman
Overwind
Owner

P

Pack
Pass-bye
Pillar
Pit
Pit brow lasses
Pitman
Props or pit props
Puncheon
Putter

R

Repairer
Rescue man
Return
Ripper, Ripping

S

Screens
Shaft
Shotfirer
Sinker
Slope
Sough
Snap or bait
Spoil tip 's old spoil tip or rucks
Squeeze
Stinkdamp
Surveyor
Sylvester

T

Timberman
Trapper
Tub

U

Upcast, upcast shaft
Upthrow

V

Viewer

W

Whitedamp
Winder

X Y Z

Yard

Citations