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: Machinery
Location: Beckley Pocahontas Mine - West Virginia
Mine Controller: International Coal Group, Inc.
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: MC#1 Mine - Illinois
Mine Controller: Coalfield Transport Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Ignition or Explosion of Gas or Dust
Location: Upper Big Branch Mine-South - West Virginia
Mine Controller: Massey Energy Company
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind
Location: Cayuga Mine - New York
Mine Controller: Cargill Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Salt
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Tehachapi Plant - California
Mine Controller: Heidelberg Cement AG
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Cement
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Abner Branch Rider - Kentucky
Mine Controller: James River Coal Company
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind
Location: Freeport McMoRan Miami Inc - Arizona
Mine Controller: Freeport-McMoRan Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Copper Ore NEC
Accident Classification: Other
On April 15, 2010, MSHA SOL made a determination that the fatality that occurred on March 22, 2010 (MNM #3 - American Colloid Company - Yellowtail Mine - Lovell, WY) is not under MSHA jurisdiction, and therefore, not chargeable to the industry.
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Bull Mountains Mine No 1 - Montana
Mine Controller: Global Mining Group LLC
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Sandlick II - Kentucky
Mine Controller: Metinvest B V
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Pe Southern Pike Co - Kentucky
Mine Controller: TECO Coal Corporation
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Hoisting
Location: Upper Second Creek Portals - Kentucky
Mine Controller: TECO Coal Corporation
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Other
Location: No 7 Mine - Alabama
Mine Controller: Walter Energy Inc.
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Hoisting
Location: Eagle Mine - West Virginia
Mine Controller: Robert E. Ellis
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Sterling Materials - Kentucky
Mine Controller: Boone Trust, Samuel A.B. (Alex) Boone Trustee
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Limestone NEC
(Determined Chargeable 12/10/2012)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Mine 5A - Tennessee
Mine Controller: National Coal Corporation
Mine Type: Surface of Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Ray Asarco LLC - Gila County , AZ
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Copper Ore NEC
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: MC#1 Mine - Illinois
Mine Controller: Coalfield Transport Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Drying Plant - Arkansas
Mine Controller: Select Sands Corp
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Shannon Mine - Alabama
Mine Controller: Twin Pines LLC
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Other
On May 11, 2010 MSHA's Fatality Review Committee made a determination that this fatality is not chargeable.
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Mine No. 2 - Virginia
Mine Controller: Cumberland Resources Corporation
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Samples Mine - West Virginia
Mine Controller: Viper LLC
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Mine Controller: Richard L Arnold II
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Stone NEC
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Bailey Mine - Pennsylvania
Mine Controller: CONSOL Energy Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Weeks Island Mine and Mill - Louisiana
Mine Controller: K+S Aktiengesellschaft
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Salt
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Viburnum #29 Mine - Missouri
Mine Controller: Renco Group
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Lead-Zinc Ore
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: D&C Mining Corp. - Kentucky
Mine Controller: D&C Mining Corp.
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Genesis - Nevada
Mine Controller: Newmont Mining Corp
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Gold Ore
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Friday Br. 1 - Kentucky
Mine Controller: Audy L. Stewart
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)