Mine Monitor

Click on image below to read the monitor questions and multiple choice answers

The public will have the chance to give their opinion on the councils local mineral plan through a' number of 'opinionmeters'.
Council officials are planning to replace the mineral plan, which was last updated in 2002.
And opinionmeters have been installed in a number of local community halls and supermarkets across Clydesdale to guage how mining operations affect local lives.
The results will be analysed and included in the Main Issues Report (MIR), which is due for publication in January.
The council's head of planning Michael McGlynn said: "Within South Lanarkshire, coal, sand, gravel and hard rock have been mined and extracted for more than a century and minerals continue to play an important role in the national and local economy.
"However, the need for these minerals must be measured against the potential impacts on local people, infrastructure and natural habitats caused by their extraction.
"The council is well aware of the impacts that mineral extraction can have on communities — both positive and negative.
"The purpose of the Minerals Local Development Plan is to balance these views to ensure that the interests and concerns of both communities and the minerals industry are fully considered."
The subject of mineral extraction in rural Clydesdale has been the subject of fierce debate over many years.
Since June demonstrators have been camped at Mainshill Wood, near Douglas, in protest over a new opencast mine due to be built there.
Richard Shaw, from Mainshill Solidarity Camp said: "Hopefully a lot of people will fill in the questionnaire and tell the council that they don't want any more open-casting or mineral extraction in this area.
"The levels of support for mineral extraction is low, particularly in areas like Douglas, and people now realise their health comes first.
"I hope as many people as possible let the council know their feelings as the health statistics are damning."
Villagers in and around Lamington have also been campaigning against plans for a new sand and gravel quarry at Overburns Farm, neighbouring the River Clyde.
Clyde River Action Group (CRAG) planning consultant Alistair Wood said: "News that the local plan is to be updated should be welcomed.
"In the document it says that mineral requirements throughout the whole of South Lanarkshire can be properly assessed, which means that scenic parts of the country can be given proper protection because of the rural scenic area such as the upper Clyde Valley.
"This process should have started earlier than this and it has taken a long time to do so but it has to be welcomed."
The opinionmeters will be at Abington Post Office, the Co-op in Biggar and St Brides Centre, Douglas from October 6 to 9.
From October 9 to 19 they will be installed at Lanark Library and Leadhills Store, in addition to the sites in Biggar and Douglas.
The Post Office in Rigside, Forth's Q&A, Forth, the Green Granary in Carstairs Village and the Q&A in Coalburn will then host the opinionmeters from October 21 to 30.

By Ross Thomson
Carluke & Lanark Gazette
8/10/09

Click on image above to read the monitor questions and multiple choice answers