| Common Era |
Event |
|
| 70 - 75 |
Gaius Plinius Secundus aka Pliny the Elder publishes NATURALIS HISTORIA: includes mining and metallurgy. (Pliny the Elder) |
52 |
| 950 |
Mining in Harz Mountains. |
52 |
| 1300 ca. |
First mention of the use of coal in Britain: used as domestic fuel, trade grows. (Britain) |
51 |
| 1500 |
Mitre-gate pound locks. (Italy, Spain, Portugal) |
58 |
| 1546 |
Four essays published including the history of mining and DE NATURALA FOSILIUM on minerology. (Georgius Agricola, Saxony, Germany) |
52 |
| 1550 |
Coal use in England increases. (Britain) |
50 |
| 1556 |
DE RE METALLICA describes mining operations: published posthumously, becomes standard mining text. (Georgius Agricola, Saxony, Basel) |
52 |
| 1600 - 1799 |
Coal and coke replace wood as fuel. (Britain) |
50 |
| 1768 ca. |
Reciprocating pick machine 'Willie Brown's Iron Man' introduced at a Northumberland colliery. (Britain) |
52 |
| 1794 |
Coal gas produced by decomposing coal in a retort. (Wm Murdock, Britain) |
51 |
|
top 19th Century |
|
| 1800 - 1899 |
Coal development dependent on mining technology: results in safety standards. (Britain) |
52 |
| 1815 |
Anthracite coal fields of eastern Pennsylvania open: cheap coal stimulates steam power and factory development. (Pennsylvania) |
50 |
| 1815 - 1817 |
Miner's safety lamp developed: uses double wire gause to lower heat of flame and reduces fires. (Sir Humphry Davy) |
54 |
| 1821 |
First natural gas well in US drilled near 'burning spring': corporation organizes 1858. (Fredonia, NY) |
52 |
| 1823 |
Apparatus for the compression liquefaction of gases installed: historic paper. (H Davies, London) |
57 |
| 1834 |
Free-fall devices on drills introduced: Karl von Oeynhausen's jars. (Oeynhausen) |
52 |
| 1834 |
First mechanical refrigerator invented: vapor compression system, succeeded after Civil War. (Jacob Perkins, US) |
57 |
| 1836 |
Safety hook invented for winding-rope devices at coal mines (breaking system). (John Wild, Lancashire, Britain) |
54 |
| 1836 - 1839 |
Steam shovel patented and used to build railway. (Wm Otis, Massachusetts) |
58 |
| 1838 |
Oil shale distilled to make lamp fuel: shale oil industry starts. (France) |
52 |
| 1840 |
US use of wood replaced by coal and natural gas: coal mining still done by hand. (US) |
50 |
| 1844 |
Mesabi Range discovered in Minnesota. (Minnesota) |
50 |
| 1844 |
Rotary drilling for mining and oil exploration described in British patent. (Robt Beart, Britain) |
52 |
| 1845 |
Hydraulic drill patented: continuous cleaning drill (improved percussive drills after 1900). (P Fauvell) |
52 |
| 1849 |
Water-gas process developed: with air or steam blowing into coke bed. (Gaillard) |
51 |
| 1849 |
Synthetic oil patented; see 1925 Franz Fischer and Hans Tropsch synthesis. (Young) |
51 |
| 1849 |
Mine equipment powered by compressed air in Britain, Govan Colliery. (Glasgow, Britain) |
52 |
| 1849 |
Dense-air compression machine (air refrigerator) invented. (John Gorrie, Charleston, SC) |
57 |
| 1850 |
Britain adopts Coal Mines Inspection Act. (Britain) |
52 |
| 1850 |
Steam-powered rock drill invented: nearly modern. (Charles Fowle, Boston) |
52 |
| 1850 - 1900 |
Coal cutter machinery (H4) stimulated by electrical power and transmission development. |
52 |
| 1850 |
Oil refining begins. |
53 |
| 1852 |
Coal-cutting (chain) Disc machine patented: makes vertical shearing cuts at sides of heading. (Waring, Britain) |
52 |
| 1853 |
1,600 tons of ice a day produced: double-acting vacuum and compression pump with sulfuric ether. (Alex. Twining, New Haven, Conn) |
57 |
| 1854 |
First deep gas well sunk at Erie (1,200 feet deep). (Erie, Pa) |
52 |
| 1854 |
First self-contained breathing apparatus: predates gas-mask for mining rescue work. (Schwann) |
54 |
| 1856 |
Aniline dye (mauve) discovered: leads to rise of coal-tar industry. (Wm Henry Perkins, Germany) |
51 |
| 1857 |
Chilled meat exported: uses vapor-compression machine. (James Harrison, Australia) |
57 |
| 1859 |
Drake strikes oil: launches US oil industry*. (Edwin Drake, Titusville, Pa) |
52 |
| 1860 ca. |
Septic tank principle used in Automatic Scavenger. (L Mouras, France) |
55 |
| 1860 |
Ammonia absorption machine. (F P E Carre, France) |
57 |
| 1861 |
Kerosene made from oil entirely displaces the product from coal in the US. (US) |
51 |
| 1861 |
Gas producer devised: recognized as successful. (K W Siemens) |
51 |
| 1862 |
Rotary diamond core drill patented: in France and Britain. (Rodolphe Leschot, France) |
52 |
| 1862 |
Air refrigerator improved: regenerator added. (Kirk) |
57 |
| 1863 |
Turbine-powered Disc machine for coal cutting patented: improvement added with rotary action. (Thomas Harrison, Durham, Britain) |
52 |
| 1863 |
Oil refining in Cleveland develops. (John D Rockefeller, Cleveland) |
53 |
| 1867 - 1870 |
Steam-gas generating apparatus patented: used for illuminating. (Hiram S Maxim, Fitchburg, Mass) |
51 |
| 1868 |
Compressed-air plant built to refrigerate food (limited power). (Paris) |
57 |
| 1870 ca. |
Diamond-drill channeling machine devised for quarrying stone, especially marble. (Albert Ball, Windsor, Vt) |
52 |
| 1870 ca. |
Disintegrator for coal crushing developed. (Carr) |
52 |
| 1871 |
American Institute of Mining Engineers founded. (US) |
52 |
| 1871 |
American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc, (AIME) formed. (New York) |
52 |
| 1871 |
Rock drill patented: improved by Henry C Sergeant 1885-1886. (Simon Ingersoll, New York) |
52 |
| 1872 |
Ammonia-compression machine for producing ice invented. (David Boyle) |
57 |
| 1873 |
Water-gas process, by Tessie du Motay and Thaddeus Lowe, developed. (Motay andLowe, US) |
51 |
| 1873 |
Open-cycle air machines made: proposed by Kelvin and Rankine, 1852. (Giffard) |
57 |
| 1873 - 1875 |
Refrigerated warehouses (NYC and London) and commercial transatlantic ship built (CELTIC). (Carroll L Riker, New York) |
57 |
| 1873 - 1876 |
Ammonia-compression system for (brewery) refrigeration: based on vapor compression work. (Carl von Linde, Munich) |
57 |
| 1875 ca. |
Cyclic gas generator produces 'blue water gas' and continuous fixed-bed gas producers developed. |
51 |
| 1876 |
Pioneer Oil Refinery* begins commercial refinery operations: first in West. (Andrews Station, Calif) |
53 |
| 1877 |
Successful refrigerator car patented. (Joel Tiffany, US) |
57 |
| 1878 |
Dry-air compressor patented: reciprocating three-stage with water jackets, etc. (Peter Brotherhood, Britain) |
52 |
| 1879 |
Proto breathing apparatus produced: early gas-mask device for mining rescue work. (Fleuss) |
54 |
| 1880 - 1899 |
Standard cable-tool drilling developed; rotary grinding and drilling (oil production) is introduced in 1890s. |
52 |
| 1880 ca. |
Open-cycle air machine made. (Bell and Coleman) |
57 |
| 1884 |
Apparatus for radial-axis system of coal mining patented. (Wm L Saunders) |
52 |
| 1886 |
First patent for cracking. (Benton, Titusville, Pa) |
53 |
| 1886 - 1900 |
Apparatus to detect and record deadly gases patented: used worldwide, especially for mining. (Thomas Shaw, Pennsylvania) |
54 |
| 1888 |
Electric machinery for soft-coal mines manufactured: generators, locomotives, undercutters, etc. (Elmer A Sperry) |
52 |
| 1888 |
Westinghouse acquires rights to Telsa's induction motor and Polyphase system. (Telsa, Westinghouse, US) |
59 |
| 1888 |
Patent for polyphase induction motor (AC electrification) issued. (Nikola Tesla) |
59 |
| 1891 |
Wilkinson automatic mechanical stoker invented: used on ocean liners and in large factories. (Alfred Wilkinson, Philadelphia) |
59 |
| 1892 |
Large-scale experimental plant to extract pure nickel erected. (Ludwig Mond, Smethwick) |
53 |
| 1893 |
Method for underground distribution and recovery of anhydrous ammonia patented. (John Edwin Starr, St Louis) |
57 |
| 1895 |
Septic tank manufactured and patented: resulting gas used as fuel for illumination. (D Cameron, Britain) |
55 |
| 1895 |
Machine for air liquefaction constructed: produces commercially pure oxygen. (Karl von Linde, Munich) |
57 |
| 1897 |
Fixed platform for offshore drilling patented; S Lewis develops mobile platform. (Thomas F Rowland, off Calif) |
52 |
| 1897 - 1907 |
Leyner hammer drill introduced: replaces piston drills by 1907 (invented 1902, patented 1903-04--A2). (J George Leyner, Littleton, Colo) |
52 |
| 1898 |
Scientific forestry program begins with establishment of US Bureau of Forestry, conservation movement. (Gifford Pinchot, US) |
50 |
| 1899 |
Open pit mining pioneered by Daniel Jackling and Robt Gremmel: adopted at Bingham copper mine in 1910. (Jackling, Gremmel, Utah) |
52 |
| 1899 |
Refuse Act administered by Army Corps of Engineers: Act of 1972 transferred control to EPA. (US) |
55 |
|
top 20th Century |
|
| 1900 |
Drilling method for raising sulfur from deep deposits developed. (Herman Frasch, US) |
52 |
| 1900 - 1914 |
Advances in coal cutting machinery, mostly chain type, developed. (Blackett, etc, Britain, US, and Germany) |
52 |
| 1900 - 1932 |
First offshore drilling takes place in California off wooden piers. (California) |
52 |
| 1901 - 1903 |
Coal-mine shafts sunk using freezing process: at Washington and Dawdon collieries. (Durham, Seaham, Britain) |
52 |
| 1902 |
Mechanical face conveyor patented: endless scraper-chain conveyor laid along face. (Blackett, Britain) |
52 |
| 1902 - 1923 |
First air-conditioning apparatus 1902 designed; dew-point control 1907; commercial installation 1916; efficiency breakthroughs 1923. (Willis Carrier, New York-NJ area) |
57 |
| 1904 |
Intermittent vertical retort system patented after test at Dessau Gas Works. (J Bueb, Britain) |
51 |
| 1904 |
Two-story sedimentation tank developed for sewage treatment: Imhoff or Emscher tanks popular. (Harl Imhoff, Germany) |
55 |
| 1905 |
Stanley gas machine (vapor burner) patented. (Francis E Stanley) |
51 |
| 1908 |
Helium first liquefied. (Kamerlingh Onnes) |
57 |
| 1910 |
US Bureau of Mines begins. (US) |
52 |
| 1910 - 1915 |
Full-scale sewage treatment plant using activated sludge process built. (Milwaukee, Wis) |
55 |
| 1911 |
Switch from coal to oil for burgeoning shipbuilding industry: begins new energy era. (Sir W Churchill, Britain) |
51 |
| 1912 - 1926 |
Liquid coal produced through hydrogenation (receives 1931 Nobel Prize in Chemistry). (Friedrich Bergius, Germany) |
51 |
| 1912 - 1955 |
Burton's thermal cracking process for refining crude oil developed. (Wm Burton) |
53 |
| 1913 |
Methanol-from-synthesis (water)-gas process patented: uses high pressures. (Badische Anilin and Soda Fabrik, Germany) |
51 |
| 1913 |
Functional household refrigeration manufactured. (Chicago) |
57 |
| 1914 - 1915 |
Square kelly rotary rig introduced: mining and oil exploration. |
52 |
| 1915 - 1916 |
ASME safety codes published: 1915 abrasive wheels, 1916 cranes, 1916 transmission machinery. (ASME, US) |
54 |
| 1916 |
National Park Service established as separate administration. (McFarland, Muir, US) |
55 |
| 1920 - 1929 |
Large reserves of natural gas discovered in US. (US) |
50 |
| 1920 |
Gas Regulation act introduces sale of gas by BTU (1948 act makes gas a national industry). (Britain) |
51 |
| 1920 |
Coal begins to suffer from cheap oil and natural gas prices. (US) |
51 |
| 1920 |
Peak domestic production of oil almost reached; US needs foreign oil and synthetics. (US) |
51 |
| 1920 - 1929 |
Liquid fuels created by synthesizing hydrocarbons. (Fischer, Tropsch, Germany) |
51 |
| 1921 - 1926 |
Direct-heated fluidized-bed gasifier developed: coarse solids, first commercial unit operated in 1926. (Fritz Winkler, Germany) |
51 |
| 1922 |
Ethyl gasoline introduced: uses tetraethyl lead in fuel to reduce knock for General Motors. (Charles Kettering, Thomas Midgley Jr, T A Boyd, Dayton, Ohio) |
51 |
| 1922 |
Centrifugal refrigeration machine invented: for industrial air-conditioning installation. (Willis Carrier, US) |
57 |
| 1924 |
American Petroleum Association commenced session of standardization of oilfield equipment andmaterial. (API, US) |
52 |
| 1924 |
Bubble-cap fractionating tower for petroleum refining developed. |
53 |
| 1926 |
Single-stage process for liquefaction and coal hydrogenation for motor fuel begins in Germany. (Bergius, Germany) |
51 |
| 1926 - 1939 |
Oil rigs progress to large steel structures. |
53 |
| 1928 - 1943 |
Engine studies on oil rig pumping action and loading leads to innovations in oil production. (US) |
53 |
| 1928 ca. |
Self-contained room air conditioner introduced. (General Electric, US) |
56 |
| 1929 |
Oil shale retorting starts. (Fushun, Manchuria) |
53 |
| 1930 - 1939 |
Connolly 'hot oil' act sets oil production capacity. (US) |
51 |
| 1930 - 1939 |
Synthesis gas manufactured from coal: for gas and oil production. (Fischer-Tropsch, Germany) |
51 |
| 1930 |
Freon (dichlorodifluormethane) refrigerants introduced. (Thomas Midgley Jr, US) |
56 |
| 1930 - 1939 |
Nonevaporative cooling towers used for small steam electric power plants. |
59 |
| 1931 |
Gasification of coal pioneered and demonstrated. (USSR) |
51 |
| 1932 |
First well from an independent platform drilled off West Coast. (US) |
52 |
| 1932 |
Submersible drilling barge designed: patented 1928 by Louis Giliasso, for swamp oil. (Texas Company, US) |
52 |
| 1933 |
First Soviet underground coal gasification field experiments begin: probably continue until 1970s. (USSR) |
51 |
| 1933 |
First controlled direction drilling of oil wells developed at Huntington Beach. (California) |
52 |
| 1935 |
Commercial coal hydrogenation plant starts in England. (Britain) |
51 |
| 1936 |
First high-pressure gasifier, the Lurgi dry ash gasifier, introduced (commerically). (Germany) |
51 |
| 1936 |
Catalytic cracking developed: reaches commercial status and replaces thermal cracking after WWII. (Eugene J Houdry, France) |
53 |
| 1938 - 1939 |
Fine powders fluidized: fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) powder blown in upward flow. (Warren Lewis and Edwin Gilliland, MIT, Mass) |
51 |
| 1939 |
Research begins for Wayne State tolerance curve for head injury criterion. (New Mexico) |
54 |
| 1940 - 1945 |
Commercial production of manufactured gas increases dramatically. |
51 |
| 1940 - 1949 |
Hot-water-extraction process developed: recovers bitumen from tar sands of Athabasca area. (Karl Clark, Alberta, Canada) |
51 |
| 1940 - 1949 |
Underwater drilling in Gulf of Mexico begins (1,000 wells by 1950s). (Gulf of Mexico) |
52 |
| 1940 - 1959 |
Continuous coal-cutting machine developed (1934 machine with conveyor belt installed in Britain). (Consolidated Coal) |
52 |
| 1940 ca. |
Seat belt developed. |
54 |
| 1940 ca. |
Aircraft deicing systems developed. |
54 |
| 1940 |
Nonevaporative cooling tower used for process cooling. |
57 |
| 1942 |
Fine-powder fluid-bed production of ingredients for 100-octane aviation gasoline. (Standard Oil of NJ, Baton Rouge) |
51 |
| 1944 |
Icing research wind tunnel* designed: uses unique heat exchanger and spray system. (NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland) |
56 |
| 1945 |
Lurgi process for gasification applied on large scale (to lignites). |
51 |
| 1947 |
Sufficient oil not found in US, according to US Department of State. (US) |
51 |
| 1947 |
Floating drilling tender with equipment that withstands severe ocean environment demonstrated. (Kerr-McGee Oil Industry, Gulf of Mexico) |
52 |
| 1949 |
Experiments begin on underground gasification of coal by Ministry of Fuel and Power. (Britain) |
51 |
| 1949 - 1953 |
Pilot plant using Bergius method (1912-26) operated in US for direct coal liquefaction. (Bureau of Mines, US) |
51 |
| 1950 ca. |
Gas produced by North Thames Gas Board (Southend Works) from partial combustion of oil. (Britain) |
51 |
| 1950 - 1955 |
Koppers-Totzek gasifier introduced. |
51 |
| 1950 - 1959 |
OPEC formed. (Mid East) |
51 |
| 1950 ca. |
Rocket-sled safety tests developed. |
54 |
| 1950 ca. |
First ejection seat used: flight safety initiative. (US) |
54 |
| 1950 - 1955 |
NACA crash fire research. (US) |
54 |
| 1950 ca. |
Philips refrigerating machine makes liquid air at atmospheric pressure by Philips Co. (Holland) |
57 |
| 1950 - 1955 |
Extensive research in cryogenic engineering for liquid hydrogen production and handling supported. (US Atomic Energy Commission, US) |
57 |
| 1954 - 1955 |
Slagging Lurgi gasifier developed: initially in Germany, then sporadically in Britain. (Germany, Britain) |
51 |
| 1954 |
Submersible mobile drilling unit operates in Gulf of Mexico for shallow water installations. (Odeco) |
52 |
| 1955 |
Sasol plant produces motor fuels (Fischer-Tropsch method) through indirect coal liquefaction. (M W Kellogg Company, South Africa) |
51 |
| 1955 |
First jack-up oil drilling rig designed. (US) |
52 |
| 1955 ca. |
Studies of forces on humans begin. |
54 |
| 1955 - 1970 |
Clean Air Act of 1970: first passes 1963, amended 1967, amended 1970. (US) |
55 |
| 1960 ca. |
FAA aircraft crash-fire tests. (US) |
54 |
| 1960 ca. |
NASA survivability criteria established. (US) |
54 |
| 1965 - 1969 |
US gas shortage threatened due to lack of financial incentives for exploration. (US) |
51 |
| 1965 - 1969 |
Circulating fluid-bed (CFB) calcinator developed for aluminum industry at Lurgi Gesellschaft. (Lothar Reh) |
51 |
| 1965 ca. |
McDonnell-Douglas collision avoidance system. (US) |
54 |
| 1965 ca. |
Boeing windshield antirain fluid developed. (US) |
54 |
| 1966 |
Clean Air Act of 1966 passes: affects energy conversion processes particularly in cars. (US) |
55 |
| 1966 |
First superconducting motor developed: built for Fawley power station in 1969. (International R&D Company, Newcastle, Britain) |
59 |
| 1967 |
Pilot plant built for extraction-hydrogenation process: produces synthetic oil. (Cresap, W Va) |
51 |
| 1967 ca. |
Auto industry whiplash tests. (US) |
54 |
| 1967 ca. |
Shell foam research: relating to flight safety. (US) |
54 |
| 1967 ca. |
Antiskid brakes: relating to flight safety. (US) |
54 |
| 1969 |
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, Public Law 91-190 (NEPA). (US) |
55 |
| 1970 |
Amendment to the Clean Air Act sets limits for three categories of pollutants. (US) |
55 |
| 1973 |
Oil embargo created by cut in OPEC oil supplies. |
51 |
| 1974 |
Pilot plant built and indirectly-heated COGAS charcoal gasifier developed by British Coal Utilization Research Association. (Britain) |
51 |
| 1974 |
Alberta tar sands synthetic fuel project starts (produces oil 1979). (Canada) |
51 |
| 1975 - 1979 |
US natural gas deregulated, and gas prices rise. (US) |
51 |
