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Fatality Reports

MSHA investigates each mining fatality and prepares the following documents to alert the mining community and prevent similar occurrences.

  • Fatality Alert - describes the accident and lists best practices that may have prevented it
  • Preliminary Report - initial report with brief description
  • Final Report - investigative findings, including root causes and enforcement actions

Some deaths on mining property are determined to be unrelated to mining activity and are not included in MSHA’s fatality statistics - See recent “non-chargeable” fatalities:
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Venango County, PA
Mine Controller: Falcon Power LLC; Aspen Scrubgrass Participant LLC
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Electrical
Location: Iberia County, LA
Mine Controller: Compass Minerals International Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Salt
Accident Classification: Electrical
Location: Kanawha County, WV
Mine Controller: Blackhawk Mining LLC
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Park County, WY
Mine Controller: Scott Simplot
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Phosphate Rock
Accident Classification: Ignition or Explosion of Gas or Dust
Location: Muhlenberg County, KY
Mine Controller: Robert E Murray
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Chittenden , Vermont
Mine Controller: Timothy Casey
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Franklin County, VT
Mine Controller: Marie Charbonneau
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Stone NEC
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Tazewell, Claiborne County, Tennessee
Mine Controller: Vulcan Materials Company
Mine Type: Surface
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Oklahoma County, OK
Mine Controller: Dolese Brothers Company
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Sand, Common
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Davidson County, TN
Mine Controller: Vulcan Materials Company
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Harlan County, KY
Mine Controller: Joseph T Bennett
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Oldham County, Texas
Mine Controller: Rogers Group Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Oglethorpe County, GA
Mine Controller: Robert E Paul
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Dimension Granite
Accident Classification: Other
Location: Eureka County, NV
Mine Controller: Rob McEwen
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Gold Ore
Rescission Date:  June 26, 2019

The Acting Chair of MSHA’s Chargeability Review Committee reviewed the death certificate, autopsy report, and MSHA's accident investigation findings and determined that the miner died from natural causes.  The  fatality is not chargeable to the mining industry.
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Comal County, TX
Mine Controller: Cemex S A
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Greenbrier County, West Virginia
Mine Controller: White Forest Resources Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Grant County, NM
Mine Controller: Freeport-McMoRan Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Copper Ore NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Bell County, KY
Mine Controller: Jack Stump; Micheal Runyon
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Hamilton County, IL
Mine Controller: Alliance Resource Partners LP
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Centralia, Lewis County, WA
Mine Controller: Trans Alta Corp
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Somerset County, PA
Mine Controller: AK Steel Holding Corporation
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Walker County, AL
Mine Controller: Freddy Hunt; Michael T Costello
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Gilberton, Schuylkill County, PA
Mine Controller: John W Rich Jr
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Coal (Anthracite)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Eureka County, NV
Mine Controller: Newmont Mining Corp
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Gold Ore
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Mackinac County, MI
Mine Controller: Carmeuse Holding SA
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Elko County, NV
Mine Controller: Keith Jones
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Gold Ore
Accident Classification: Other
Location: Grant County, NM
Mine Controller: Freeport-McMoRan Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Copper Ore NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Flathead County, MT
Mine Controller: Brad Mercord; Bill Carter
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Dimension Stone NEC
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Greenbrier County, WV
Mine Controller: Frederick J Taylor
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind
Location: Culpeper County, VA
Mine Controller: Antonio C Ramos
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Dimension Granite