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The term "mine disaster" historically has been applied to mine
accidents claiming five or more lives. Mine disasters, in this sense, once were
appallingly common. For instance, the single year of 1907 saw 18 coal mine
disasters, plus two more disasters in the metal and nonmetal mining industry.
Among the disasters in 1907 was history's worst--the Monongah coal mine
explosion, which claimed 362 lives and impelled Congress to created the Bureau
of Mines.
Mine accidents have declined dramatically in number and severity through
decades of research, technology, and preventive programs. Today, mine accidents
resulting in five or more deaths are no longer common. However, preventing
recurrence of disasters like those of the past remains a top priority requiring
constant vigilance by management, labor, and government.
Statistical Summary
Number of Documented Mine Disasters
(5 or more deaths)
| Historic Period | Coal Mines | Metal and Nonmetal Mines | Total |
|---|
| Through 1875 | 19
| 4 | 23
|
| 1876-1900 | 101 | 17 | 118 |
| 1901-1925 | 305 | 51 | 356 |
| 1926-1950 | 147 | 23 | 170 |
| 1951-1975 | 35 | 9 | 44 |
| 1976-present | 18
| 1 | 18 |
- Year with largest number of coal mine disasters: 1909 (20 coal mine
disasters)
- Year with largest number of metal/nonmetal mine disasters: 1911 (8
metal/nonmetal mine disasters)
- Year with largest number of mine disasters overall: 1910 (25 mine
disasters-19 coal, 6 metal/nonmetal)
Listing Of Selected Historic Mine Disasters
Coal Mines
All accidents with five or more fatalities, since 1970
| YEAR | DAY | MINE
| LOCATION | TYPE | DEATHS
|
|---|
| 2010 | 4/05 | Upper Big Branch Mine-South, Performance Coal Company | Raleigh County, Montcoal, West Virginia | Ignition or Explosion of Gas or Dust | 29
|
| 2007 | 8/06 | Crandall Canyon Mine, Genwal Resources Inc. | Emery County, Huntington, Utah | Fall of Face or Rib | 6
|
| 2006 | 5/20 | Darby Mine No. 1, Kentucky Darby LLC | Harlan County, Middlesboro, Kentucky | Explosion | 5
|
| 2006 | 1/02 | Sago Mine, Anker West Virginia Mining Company Inc. | Upshur County, Buckhannon, West Virginia | Explosion | 12
|
| 2001 | 9/23 | No. 5 Mine, Jim Walter Resources, Inc. | Tuscaloosa County, Brookwood, Alabama | Explosion | 13
|
| 1992 | 12/07 | No. 3 Mine, Southmoutain Coal Co. | Wise Co., Norton, Virginia | Explosion | 8
|
| 1989 | 9/13 | William Station No. 9 Mine, Pyro Mining Co. | Union Co., Wheatcroft, Kentucky | Explosion | 10
|
| 1986 | 2/06 | Loveridge No. 22, Consolidation Coal Co. | Marion Co., Fairview, West Virginia | Suffocation (surface stockpile) | 5 |
| 1984 | 12/19 | Wilberg Mine, Emery Mining Corp. | Emery Co., Orangeville, Utah | Fire | 27 |
| 1983 | 06/21 | McClure No. 1 Mine, Clinchfield Coal Co. | Dickinson Co., McClure, Virginia | Explosion | 7
|
| 1982 | 1/20 | No. 1 Mine, RFH Coal Co. | Floyd Co., Craynor, Kentucky | Explosion | 7
|
| 1981 | 12/08 | No. 21 Mine, Grundy Mining Co. | Marion Co., Whitwell, Tennessee | Explosion | 13
|
| 1981 | 12/07 | No. 11 Mine, Adkins Coal Co. | Knott Co., Kite, Kentucky | Explosion | 8
|
| 1981 |
4/15 | Dutch Creek No. 1, Mid-Continent Resources, Inc.
| Pitkin Co., Redstone, Colorado | Explosion | 15
|
| 1980 | 11/07 | Ferrell No. 17, Westmorland Coal Co. | Boone Co., Uneeda, West Virginia | Explosion | 5
|
| 1978 | 4/04 | Moss No.3 Portal A, Clinchfield Coal Co. | Dickinson Co., Duty, Virginia | Suffocation (oxygen deficient air) | 5 |
| 1977 | 03/01 | Porter Tunnel, Kocher Coal Co. | Schuykill Co., Tower City, Pennsylvania | Flood | 9 |
| 1976 | 3/9-11 | Scotia Mine, Blue Diamond Coal Co. | Letcher Co., Oven Fork, Kentucky | Explosion | 26
|
| 1972 | 12/16 | Itmann No. 3 Mine, Itmann Coal Co. | Wyoming Co., Itmann, West Virginia | Explosion | 5
|
| 1972 | 07/22 | Blacksville No. 1, Consolidation Coal Co. | Monongalia Co., Blacksville, West Virginia | Fire | 9 |
| 1970 | 12/30 | Nos. 15 and 16 Mines, Finley Coal Co. | Leslie Co., Hyden, Kentucky | Explosion | 38 |
The six worst coal mine disasters, since 1940
| YEAR | DAY | MINE
| LOCATION | TYPE | DEATHS
|
|---|
| 1968 | 11/20 | Consol No. 9 | Farmington,
West Virginia | Explosion | 78 |
| 1951 | 12/21 | Orient No. 2 | West
Frankfort, Illinois | Explosion | 119 |
| 1947 | 3/25 | Centralia No. 5 | Centralia,
Illinois | Explosion | 111 |
| 1943 | 3/16 | Smith Mine |
Washoe, Montana | Explosion | 74 |
| 1940 | 3/16 | Willow Grove No. 10 |
St. Clairsville, Ohio | Explosion | 72 |
| 1940 | 1/10 | Pond Creek No. 1 | Bartley,
West Virginia | Explosion | 91 |
The three worst coal mine disasters in U.S. history
| YEAR | DAY | MINE
| LOCATION | TYPE | DEATHS
|
|---|
| 1913 | 10/22 | Stag Canon No. 2 | Dawson,
New Mexico | Explosion | 263 |
| 1909 | 11/13 | Cherry Mine | Cherry,
Illinois | Fire | 259 |
| 1907 | 12/06 | Monongah Nos. 6 and 8 | Monongah, West Virginia | Explosion | 362
|
Metal And Nonmetal (Non-Coal) Mines
All accidents with five or more fatalities, since 1970
| YEAR | DAY | MINE
| LOCATION | TYPE | DEATHS
|
|---|
| 1979 | 06/08 | Belle Isle Mine, Cargill, Inc. (salt) | St. Mary Parish, Franklin, Louisiana | Explosion | 5
|
| 1972 | 05/02 | Sunshine Mine, Sushine Mining Co. (silver) | Shoshone Co., Kellogg, Idaho | Fire | 91 |
| 1971 | 04/12 | Barnett Complex, Ozark-Mahoning Co. (fluorspar) | Pope Co., Rosiclair, Illinois | Hydrogen sulfide gas | 7 |
The five worst metal and nonmetal mine disasters, since 1940
| YEAR | DAY | MINE
| LOCATION | TYPE | DEATHS
|
|---|
| 1972 | 05/02 | Sunshine Mine (silver) | Kellogg, Idaho | Fire
| 91 |
| 1968 | 03/06 | Belle Isle Mine (salt) | Franklin, Louisiana |
Fire | 21 |
| 1963 | 08/28 | Cane Creek Mine (potash) | Moab, Utah | Explosion
| 18 |
| 1943 | 01/05 | Boyd Mine (copper) | Ducktown,
Tennessee | Explosion | 9 |
| 1942 | 03/26 | Sandts Eddy Quarry (limestone) | Allentown, Pennsylvania | Explosion (surface) | 31 |
The three worst metal and nonmetal mine disasters in U.S. history
| YEAR | DAY | MINE
| LOCATION | TYPE | DEATHS
|
|---|
| 1972 | 05/02 | Sunshine Mine (silver) | Kellogg, Idaho | Fire
| 91 |
| 1926 | 11/03 | Barnes Hecker Mine (iron) | Ishpeming, Michigan |
Flood | 51 |
| 1917 | 06/08 | Granite Mountain Shaft (copper) | Butte, Montana | Fire
| 163 |
References
1969-1990
Individual Bureau of Mines, MESA, and MSHA accident investigation reports.
Historic Accidents
Coal Mines: Bureau of Mines Bulletin 586, "Historical Summary of
Coal-Mine Explosions in the United States, 1810-1958" (1960). Bureau of
Mines Bulletin 616, "Historical Documentation of Major Coal-Mine Disasters
in the United States Not Classified As Explosions of Gas or Dust: 1846-1962"
(1963). Bureau of Mines Information Circular 8909, "Historical Summary of
Coal Mine Explosions in the United States, 1959-81" (1983). "Coal
Accidents That Resulted in 5 or More Fatalities Mine From 1957 Through January
1982," listing informally maintained by staff, Office of Information and
Public Affairs.
Metal/Nonmetal Mines: Bureau of Mines IC 7493, "Major Disasters at
Metal and Nonmetal Mines and Quarries in the United States (Excluding Coal
Mines)" (1949). "List of accidents at metal and nonmetal mines and
quarries (except coal mines) in the United States in which five or more lives
were lost," update of Table 1 from the preceding publication, informally
maintained by staff, Program Education and Outreach Services.
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