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: Explosives and Breaking Agents
Location: North Stone - Missouri
Mine Controller: Fred Weber, Inc.
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Castle Valley Mine #4 - Utah
Mine Controller: Rhino Resource Partners LP
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Peerless Rachel Mine - West Virginia
Mine Controller: Patriot Coal Corporation
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Affinity Mine - West Virginia
Mine Controller: Metinvest B V
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Prairie Eagle South Underground Mine - Illinois
Mine Controller: Arch Coal Inc.; Franklin D. Robertson; James O. Bunn
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Loveridge #22 - West Virginia
Mine Controller: CONSOL Energy Inc.
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Hoisting
Location: Affinity Mine - West Virginia
Mine Controller: Metinvest B V
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Exploding Vessels Under Pressure
Location: Begley Resources #1 - Five Mile Prep Plant & Refuse Impoundment/West Virginia
Mine Controller: Patriot Coal Corporation
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Begley Resources #1 - Kentucky
Mine Controller: Amy C Hamilton
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Apex Quarry and Plant - Nevada
Mine Controller: Lhoist Group
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Lime
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: THREE RIVERS QUARRY - Kentucky
Mine Controller: Lafarge S A
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Limestone NEC
(Victim Died January 19, 2013)
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Choctaw Mine - Alabama
Mine Controller: Walter Energy Incorporated
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Chargeback Date: 7/8/2013
Reason for Amendment: Mr. Key arrived at Baptist Medical Center-Walker on 12/14/2012, at 15:30 and was transferred to U.A.B. Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama by ambulance on 12/15/2012, at 02:30. Mr. Key later died of injuries sustained from a fall from the rock truck.
Accident Classification: Other
Location: Robinson Run No 95 - West Virginia
Mine Controller: CONSOL Energy Inc.
Mine Type: Surface of Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Pocahontas Mine - West Virginia
Mine Controller: Alpha Natural Resources Inc.
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Willow Lake Portal - Willow Lake Portal, Illinois
Mine Controller: Peabody Energy
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: MT MARION PIT AND MILL - New York
Mine Controller: Northeast Solite Corp
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Common Shale
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Weeping Water Mine - Nebraska
Mine Controller: Martin Marietta Materials Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Other
Based on MSHA's investigation and the finding of the death certificate, MSHA concluded that the miner died from natural causes and that the fatality is not chargeable.
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: North Pit - California
Mine Controller: Tony Cruse
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Double Mountain Mine - Tennessee
Mine Controller: Quintana Energy Partners LP
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Pinto Valley Mine - Arizona
Mine Controller: Capstone Mining Corp
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Copper Ore NEC
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Blacksville No 2 - West Virginia
Mine Controller: CONSOL Energy Inc.
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Shoal Creek Mine - Alabama
Mine Controller: Drummond Company Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Exodus - Nevada
Mine Controller: Newmont Mining Corp
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Gold Ore
Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind
Location: PENNSUCO CEMENT PLANT - Florida
Mine Controller: Titan Cement Company S A
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Cement
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Beckley Pocahontas Mine - West Virginia
Mine Controller: International Coal Group ICG
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Fork Creek No 10 Mine - West Virginia
Mine Controller: James O Bunn; Franklin D Robertson
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Portable Crushing Plant #1 - Montana
Mine Controller: James R Bradshaw
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Colowyo Mine - Colorado
Mine Controller: Western Fuels Assoc Inc; Tri-State Generation & Transmission Assn Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Mine #23 - Kentucky
Mine Controller: James River Coal Company
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)