(225 ILCS 705/Art. 1 heading)

(225 ILCS 705/1.01) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 251) Sec. 1.01. This Act may be cited as the Coal Mining Act. (Source: P.A. 86-1475.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.02) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 252) Sec. 1.02. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the terms set out in this Article have the meanings ascribed to them in this Article. (Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.03) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 253) Sec. 1.03. "Mine" and "coal mine" mean any area of land and any structures, facilities, machinery, tools, equipment, shafts, slopes, tunnels, excavations, and other property, real or personal, placed upon, under or above the surface of such land by any person, used in, or to be used in, or resulting from, the work of extracting in such area bituminous coal, lignite, or anthracite from its natural deposits in the earth by any means or method including the method known as carbon recovery, and the work of preparing the coal so extracted, and includes custom coal preparation facilities. (Source: P.A. 85-1333.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.04) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 254) Sec. 1.04. "Excavation" and "workings" mean any or all parts of a mine excavated or being excavated, including shafts, slopes, tunnels, entries, rooms and working places, whether abandoned or in use. (Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.05) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 255) Sec. 1.05. "Shaft" means any vertical opening through the strata which is or may be used for purposes of ventilation or escapement, or for the hoisting or lowering of men and material in connection with the mining of coal. (Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.06) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 256) Sec. 1.06. "Slope" means any inclined way in or to a seam of coal to be used for the same purposes as a shaft. (Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.07) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 257) Sec. 1.07. "Drift" means any practically horizontal way in or to a seam of coal to be used for the same purpose as a shaft. (Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.08) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 258) Sec. 1.08. "Operator" as applied to the party in control of a mine, signifies the person, firm or body corporate who or which is the immediate proprietor as owner or lessee of the plant and, as such, responsible for the condition and management thereof. (Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.09) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 259) Sec. 1.09. "Mine Manager" is the person charged with the general direction of the underground work. (Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.10) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 260) Sec. 1.10. "Mine Examiner" is the person charged with the examination of the underground workings of the mine, under the supervision of the Mine Manager. (Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.11) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 261) Sec. 1.11. "Department" means the Department of Natural Resources of the State of Illinois. (Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.12) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 262) Sec. 1.12. "Director" means the Director of Natural Resources. (Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.13) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 263) Sec. 1.13. "Permissible" means any explosive or mechanical device, or chemical-mechanical device, which will not cause the ignition of mixtures of methane and air when detonated or operated. (Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.14) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 264) Sec. 1.14. "State Mine Inspector" is the person charged with the inspection of mines under the State Mining Board. (Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.15) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 265) Sec. 1.15. "Mining Board" or "Board" means the State Mining Board in the Department of Natural Resources, Office of Mines and Minerals, created by Section 5-155 of the Departments of State Government Law (20 ILCS 5/5-155). (Source: P.A. 91-239, eff. 1-1-00.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.16) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 266) Sec. 1.16. "Surface Mining Facility" means surface and auger coal mines, preparation plants, central repair shops and coal loading docks for deep or surface mines including the construction of such facilities wherever located. (Source: P.A. 80-296.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.17) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 267) Sec. 1.17. "Contractor" means any person, firm or corporation who or which performs construction work at any mine or facility as defined in Sections 1.03 and 1.16 of this Act. (Source: P.A. 80-296.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.18) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 268) Sec. 1.18. Words or phrases as used in this Act that import the masculine gender shall be construed to import also the feminine gender, unless such construction would be inconsistent with the manifest intention of the context. (Source: P.A. 81-257.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.19) Sec. 1.19. "Lifeline cord" means a fire-retardant, nylon line of at least one quarter inch thickness, with cone-shaped directional indicators incorporated into it, that is permanently installed in an escape way and gives a clear indication of the direction out of a mine. (Source: P.A. 94-1041, eff. 7-24-06.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.20) Sec. 1.20. "Self-contained self-rescue (SCSR) device" means a breathing apparatus that contains a minimum of one hour of oxygen for one person and is approved by the Mine Safety and Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor and the Mining Board. (Source: P.A. 94-1041, eff. 7-24-06.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.21) Sec. 1.21. "Surface supervisor of an underground mine" means a certified supervisor at a mine whose duties do not include the extraction of coal, but do include other activities resulting in the preparation of coal, supervision of construction or demolition of mine buildings, earth moving, gob moving projects, or other surface projects involving the supervision of people and machinery. (Source: P.A. 94-1041, eff. 7-24-06.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.22) Sec. 1.22. "Tag-line" means a nylon line of at least one quarter inch thickness that has mechanical clips or other suitable connecting devices incorporated therein that are spaced between 3 feet and 5 feet apart that allow a group of persons underground to attach themselves together. (Source: P.A. 94-1041, eff. 7-24-06.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.23) Sec. 1.23. "Rescue chamber" means a chamber within a mine that is properly constructed to protect against potential hazards in case of an emergency and is properly equipped with first aid materials, an oxygen-generating device capable of providing a minimum of 48 hours of oxygen for at least 10 people, and proper accommodations for persons underground awaiting rescue, as determined by the Mining Board. (Source: P.A. 94-1041, eff. 7-24-06.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.24) Sec. 1.24. "Cache" means a storage facility within a mine that is properly constructed to store SCSR devices in case of an emergency for use by persons underground in emergency situations, as determined by the Mining Board. (Source: P.A. 94-1041, eff. 7-24-06.)

(225 ILCS 705/1.25) Sec. 1.25. Recorder. "Recorder" means a person with a mine manager certification or mine examiner certification who is trained and designated by the operator as the individual responsible for recording the mine examiner's examination of the underground workings of the mine. (Source: P.A. 99-538, eff. 1-1-17.)