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
Related Fatality Information
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: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Buchanan Mine #1 - Buchanan, Virginia
Mine Controller: Coronado Coal LLC
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Coal Mountain No 1 Surface - Wyoming, West Virginia
Mine Controller: Scott Kiscaden
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Streetman Plant - Navarro, Texas
Mine Controller: Arcosa Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Common Shale
Accident Classification: Electrical
Location: US Aggregates-Flat Rock Plant - Shelby Indiana
Mine Controller: Heritage Group
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Riverbend Sand and Gravel - Weld, Colorado
Mine Controller: Martin Marietta Materials Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Drowning
Location: Morgan County Quarry - Morgan, Georgia
Mine Controller: Martin Marietta Materials Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Quartzite
Chargeback Date: 10/8/2024
On April 13, 2024, MSHA was informed of a miner’s death at Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.’s Morgan County Quarry in Buckhead, GA. MSHA’s initial findings indicated medical related issues as the cause of death. However, on October 8, 2024, MSHA received the autopsy report which states the cause of death as drowning. After further investigation and review, MSHA has decided that this death should be charged to the mining industry.
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Swift Creek Mine - Hamilton, Florida
Mine Controller: Nutrien LTD
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Phosphate Rock
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Ellangowan Bank #45 - Schuylkill, Pennsylvania
Mine Controller: Maria Cantwell; Bonnie R Ryan; Brian R Rich
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Coal (Anthracite)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Mobile Crusher #3 Frontera Materials - Hidalgo, Texas
Mine Controller: Edwin E Forshage III
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Stone NEC
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Beck Street - Salt Lake, Utah
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Bison No 1 - Washington, Oklahoma
Mine Controller: Spencer Gene Hopper
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Stone NEC
Accident Classification: Handling Material
Location: Eden Facility - Fond Du Lac, WISCONSIN
Mine Controller: EVS Master Holdco LLC
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Dimension Limestone
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Wrens Plant - Jefferson, Georgia
Mine Controller: IMin Partners
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Kaolin and Ball Clay
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Stillwater Mine - Stillwater, Montana
Mine Controller: Sibanye Stillwater Limited
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Platinum Group Ore
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Maple Springs Mine - Somerset Pennsylvania
Mine Controller: JAZ Ventures LP
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Genesis - Eureka, Nevada
Mine Controller: Barrick Nevada Holding LLC; Newmont USA
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Gold Ore
MSHA was informed of a contractor employee’s death near Nevada Gold Mines LLC’s Genesis mine in Eureka, NV. MSHA’s investigation team examined the accident scene, conducted interviews, and reviewed relevant documentation. The investigation revealed that MSHA does not have jurisdiction on the road where the accident occurred. Accordingly, MSHA has delisted this fatality as chargeable to the mine operator.
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Cape Sandy #1 - Crawford, Indiana
Mine Controller: CRH PLC
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Sewickley Mine - Indiana, Pennsylvania
Mine Controller: Clyde Holding Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Stone NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: No 4 Mine - Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Mine Controller: Warrior Met Coal Intermediate Holdco LLC
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: MN Portable Wash 086 (A5567 Wash Plant) - Mille Lacs, Minnesota
Mine Controller: Hammon T Becken II; Tim Becken
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Portable Crusher #2 - Pueblo Colorado
Mine Controller: John Paul Ary
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Drowning
Location: Mine No. 39 - Mcdowell, West Virginia
Mine Controller: Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc.
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Chargeback Date: 9/27/2023
On August 18, 2023, MSHA was informed of a miner’s death at Twin State Mining, Inc.’s Mine No. 39 in Elbert, WV. MSHA’s initial findings indicated medical related issues as the cause of death. However, on September 26, 2023, MSHA received the death certificate which states cause of death is drowning. After further investigation and review, MSHA has decided that this death should be charged to the mining industry.
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Superior Silica Sands San Antonio Plant - Bexar, Texas
Mine Controller: PIMCO; HPS Investment Partners
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Sand Common
Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind
Location: Echols Mill Quary 1 and 2 - Oglethorpe, Georgia
Mine Controller: Echols Mill Quarries LLC
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Dimension Stone NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Lexington Quarry Company - Jessamine, Kentucky
Mine Controller: Sterling Enterprises Inc; The Allen Company Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: SWAMPSCOTT QUARRY - Essex, Massachusettes
Mine Controller: Holcim Ltd
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Traprock
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Chula Vista Quarry - San Diego, California
Mine Controller: Vulcan Materials Company
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Advanced Restoration Technologies -1 - Morgan, KENTUCKY
Mine Controller: Gregory L Higgins; Gerald D DeRossett; Richard
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: N Attleboro Plant - Bristol, Massachusetts
Mine Controller: Thomas Walsh
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Stone NEC
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Hockley Plant - Harris, Texas
Mine Controller: Summit Materials LLC
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel