# Tipple

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For other uses, see [Tipple (disambiguation)](/source/Tipple_(disambiguation)).

A **tipple** is a structure used at a mine to load the extracted product (e.g., coal, ores) for transport, typically into railroad [hopper cars](/source/Hopper_car). In the United States, tipples have been frequently associated with [coal mines](/source/Coal_mine), but they have also been used for [hard rock mining](/source/Hard_rock_mining).

## Operation

Basic coal tipples simply load coal into railroad cars.[1] Many tipples had simple screening equipment to sort coal pieces by size before loading.[2][3]: 20 A modern coal mine facility usually includes a [coal preparation plant](/source/Coal_preparation_plant) which washes coal of soil and rock, before loading it for transport to market. The term "tipple" may be used interchangeably with coal prep plant.

Tipples were initially used with [minecarts](/source/Minecart), also called *tubs* or *tram cars*, or *mine cars* in the U.S. These were small hopper cars that carried the product on a [mine railway](/source/Mine_railway) out of the mine. When a mine car entered the upper level of the tipple, its contents were dumped through a chute leading to a railroad hopper car positioned on a track running beneath the tipple. At some facilities, each car was tipped over manually—thus the name, "tipple".[3]: 4 In higher volume facilities, each car was placed in a machine called a rotary dump, which rotated the car to dump the coal or ore.[4]

In the early 20th century, mine operators began using [conveyor belts](/source/Conveyor_belt) to load coal and ores into railroad cars, eliminating the use of mine cars.[5] At some mines the conveyor loading facility is still referred to as a "tipple".

## See also

- [Coal preparation plant](/source/Coal_preparation_plant)

## References

1. [*The Coal and Metal Miners' Pocketbook of Principles, Rules, Formulas and Tables*](https://books.google.com/books?id=csoJAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA617). 9th ed. Scranton, PA: International Textbook Co. 1905. p. 617.

1. International Correspondence Schools (1900). [*A Treatise on Coal Mining; Part 24*](https://archive.org/details/atreatiseoncoal00schogoog). 2nd ed. Scranton, PA: The Colliery Engineer Co. pp. 63ff.

1. Dixon, Thomas W. (1994). *Appalachian Coal Mines & Railroads*. Lynchburg, VA: TLC Publishing. ISBN 1-883089-08-5.

1. Ketchum, Milo S. (1913). [*The Design of Mine Structures*](https://archive.org/details/designminestruc01ketcgoog). New York: McGraw-Hill. p. [154](https://archive.org/details/designminestruc01ketcgoog/page/n181)

1. Rakes, Paul H. (2012). ["Coal Mine Mechanization."](http://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1364) *The West Virginia Encyclopedia.* West Virginia Humanities Council, Charleston, WV.

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