At the Utah mine, why can't they drill more than one hole at a time?

Question

It seems like if they have no idea where the missing miners are anyway, they can maybe make two or three best guesses and drill at those locations.

In the week that it took to drill the 3 holes, could they not have got more drilling equipment from nearby locations ?

Answer 1

In response to Stephen R's questions ...

1. Didnt Co know which tunnels the miners were heading to?
Yes. They knew. There were relatively few people in the mine, and at least one got out (who was separated from the group. Remember, they drilled the first hole in the last place the miners were actually seen.

2. NO GPS device used for tracking miners.
Good point. But, GPS devices have very limited range, and this is through 1500 feet of rock (with heavy mineral concentration that will throw off the signals).

3. NO use of tunnel boring machines
They were boring for coal, and they weren't doing any tunneling. They were taking the remaining coal from the ends of the tunnels.

4. NO use of shaped charges to bore into Earth
See #3. This mine was drilled decades ago.

5. Use ground scan radar to find miners???
Again, this doesn't work well through 1500 feet of rock & minerals. Radar will bounce off solid objects. The signals will bounce off the earth long before it hits the miners.

Answer 2

Im ticked off 2 on this Utah mine bit:

1. Didnt Co know which tunnels the miners were heading to?
2. NO GPS device used for tracking miners.
3. NO use of tunnel boring machines
4. NO use of shaped charges to bore into Earth
5. Use ground scan radar to find miners???

Sorry state.

Answer 3

ok we are talking united states -- what was the death toll of hurricane katrina?

the united states isn't exactly the place you want your emergency services to come from. i think i am more scared of emergency services than i am disasters. if the disaster doesn't kill you slow emergency response will. and it will take a lot longer to die that way.