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: Mille Lacs, Minnesota
Mine Controller: Hammon T Becken II; Tim Becken
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Pueblo Colorado
Mine Controller: John Paul Ary
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Drowning
Location: 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: 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: Oglethorpe, Georgia
Mine Controller: Echols Mill Quarries LLC
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Dimension Stone NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Jessamine, Kentucky
Mine Controller: Sterling Enterprises Inc; The Allen Company Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Essex, Massachusettes
Mine Controller: Holcim Ltd
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Traprock
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: San Diego, California
Mine Controller: Vulcan Materials Company
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: 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: Bristol, Massachusetts
Mine Controller: Thomas Walsh
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Stone NEC
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Harris, Texas
Mine Controller: Summit Materials LLC
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Ralls, Missouri
Mine Controller: Riverstone Group
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind
Location: Atascosa, Texas
Mine Controller: North American Construction Group, LTD
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Lignite)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Brookings, South Dakota
Mine Controller: Jason Bowes; Miranda C Bowes Peterson
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Sullivan, Indiana
Mine Controller: Peabody Energy
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Shoshone, Idaho
Mine Controller: Americas Gold and Silver Corp
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Silver Ore
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Marion Tennessee
Mine Controller: South Pittsburg Stone Mine
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Dimension Stone NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Barbour, West Virginia
Mine Controller: American Metals & Coal International Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Hamilton, Illinois
Mine Controller: Alliance Resource Partners LP
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: St Lucie, Florida
Mine Controller: Vulcan Materials Company
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Johnson, Texas
Mine Controller: United States Lime & Minerals Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Lime
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Pike, Kentucky
Mine Controller: CRH PLC
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Sandstone
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Mingo, West Virginia
Mine Controller: Appalachian Resource Company LLC
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Drowning
Location: Hidalgo, Texas
Mine Controller: Oscar Cuellar; Nancy Cuellar
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Electrical
Location: Faulkner, Arkansas
Mine Controller: Rogers Group Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Sandstone
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Clay, Missouri
Mine Controller: Martin Marietta Materials Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Electrical
Location: Jefferson, Georgia
Mine Controller: IMin Partners
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Kaolin and Ball Clay
Accident Classification: Electrical
Location: Jefferson, Georgia
Mine Controller: IMin Partners
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Kaolin and Ball Clay
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Eureka , Nevada
Mine Controller: Newmont Goldcorp Corporation
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Gold Ore
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Kern, California
Mine Controller: Taiheiyo Cement Corp
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Cement