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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: Powered Haulage
Location: Republic Energy - West Virginia
Mine Controller: Massey Energy Company
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind
Location: Portable Crusher - Washington
Mine Controller: Mark Cochran
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Stone NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Rex Strip #1 - Kentucky
Mine Controller: Joseph T Bennett
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Hollingsworth Sand & Gravel LLC - Texas
Mine Controller: Kelly Hollingsworth
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: River View Mine - Kentucky
Mine Controller: Alliance Resource Partners LP
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Simpson - Georgia
Mine Controller: Oil Dri Corporation Of America
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Fullers Earth
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Plant #80013 - Kansas
Mine Controller: Summit Materials LLC
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Kingston No 1 - West Virginia
Mine Controller: Alpha Natural Resources, Inc.
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Electrical
Location: Snyder - Oklahoma
Mine Controller: Martin Marietta Materials Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Granite
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Wheeler Rock Quarry - Kansas
Mine Controller: Ralph H Wheeler
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Dimension Stone NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Kansas Mine - Alabama
Mine Controller: National Coal of Alabama
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Freelandville Underground - Indiana
Mine Controller: James River Coal Company
Mine Type: Surface of Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Drowning
Location: Southwestern State Sand - Oklahoma
Mine Controller: Evans & Associates Enterprises
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind
Location: Meikle Mine - Nevada
Mine Controller: Barrick Gold Corp
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Gold Ore
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Loveridge #22 - West Virginia
Mine Controller: Consolidation Coal Company
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Willow Lake Portal - Illinois
Mine Controller: Peabody Midwest Operations LLC
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Pocahontas Mine - West Virginia
Mine Controller: Massey Energy Company
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: No. 68 - Kentucky
Mine Controller: James River Coal Company
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Ray - Arizona
Mine Controller: Grupo Mexico S A
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Copper Ore NEC
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Galena - Idaho
Mine Controller: U S Silver & Gold
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Silver Ore
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Clover Fork No 1 - Kentucky
Mine Controller: Arch Coal Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: OTTAWA PIT & PLANT - Minnesota
Mine Controller: S C R-Sibelco Nv
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Sandstone
Accident Classification: Ignition or Explosion of Gas or Dust
Location: Choctaw Mine - Alabama
Mine Controller: Walters Minerals, Inc.
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Explosives and Breaking Agents
Location: Discovery Day Mine - California
Mine Controller: Trinity Alps Resources Inc.
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Gold Ore
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Pandora Complex - Utah
Mine Controller: International Uranium Corp
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Uranium Ore
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: U.S. Lime Company-St. Clair - Oklahoma
Mine Controller: United States Lime & Minerals Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Lime
Accident Classification: Exploding Vessels Under Pressure
Location: Knoxville Cement Plant Cemex Inc - Tennessee
Mine Controller: Cemex S A
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Cement
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Brierfield Quarry - Alabama
Mine Controller: Lhoist Group
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Ruby Energy - West Virginia
Mine Controller: Massey Energy Company
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Dotiki Mine - Kentucky
Mine Controller: Alliance Resource Partners LP
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)