(a) In order to guard the safety of the public in areas above mined areas to prevent the excavation of coal so near the surface, or so deep, or in such other manner as to expose the public to danger, it shall be unlawful for any owner, operator, director or general manager, superintendent or other person in charge of or having supervision over any anthracite coal mine or mining operation so to mine anthracite coal or so to conduct the operation of mining anthracite coal as to cause the caving-in, collapse or subsidence of:

(b) Criterion to guide operators in their mining activities shall include bearing strength of coal in the vein or seam, percentage of coal left in place, uniformity of distribution of said percentage, height of vein or seam, nature of immediate roof over seam, nature of floor of seam, pitch of seam, thickness of rock strata overlying the seam, nature of rock strata thickness and nature of unconsolidated surface materials overlying rock strata, proximity of and conditions in overlying or underlying seams, underground water conditions in seam and underground water conditions in strata over the seam.