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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: 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
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Sevier, Tennessee
Mine Controller: Vulcan Materials Company
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: CO Poisoning
Location: Buchanan, Virginia
Mine Controller: Metinvest B V
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Chargeback Date: 5/30/2023

On December 22, 2022MSHA was informed of a contractor’s death at Black Diamond Company’s Wellmore #8 Prep Plant in Big Rock, VA.  MSHA’s initial findings indicated medical related issues as the cause of death.  However, on March 31, 2023, MSHA received the death certificate and on April 12, 2023, MSHA received the autopsy report; both stated that the contractor died from carbon monoxide poisoning.  After further investigation and review, MSHA has decided that this death should be charged to the mining industry.

Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Atascosa, Texas
Mine Controller: Orchard Global Asset Management, LLP
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Sand industrial NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Iron, Missouri
Mine Controller: Renco Group
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Lead-Zinc Ore
Accident Classification: Engulfment
Location: Knox, Tennessee
Mine Controller: Cemex S A
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Cement
Accident Classification: Drowning
Location: Somerset, Pennsylvania
Mine Controller: Quintana Capital Group GP Ltd
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Pontotoc, Oklahoma
Mine Controller: Holcim Ltd
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Cement
MSHA was informed of a miner’s death at Holcim (US) Inc-Ada Plant in Pontotoc, OK. MSHA’s investigation team conducted an examination of the scene, interviewed miners and mine management, and reviewed relevant conditions and work practices. The investigation did not reveal any environmental, physical, or violative conditions that contributed to the accident. Therefore, MSHA referred this matter to the agency’s Chargeability Review Committee which reviewed the death certificate and MSHA's accident investigation findings and determined that the fatality is not chargeable to the mine operator.
Accident Classification: Confined Space
Location: Providence, Rhode Island
Mine Controller: Joseph R Vinagro
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Rensselaer, New York
Mine Controller: Roderick J Valente
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Engulfment
Location: Washoe, Nevada
Mine Controller: Teichert Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Drowning
Location: Orange, Texas
Mine Controller: Ivan D Barry
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Electrical
Location: Kanawha, West Virginia
Mine Controller: Seven Energy AG
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Mckinley, NEW MEXICO
Mine Controller: Peabody Energy
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Ohio, West Virginia
Mine Controller: Alliance Resource Partners LP
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Miller, Arkansas
Mine Controller: Jimmy Wooten
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Dorchester, South Carolina
Mine Controller: Cementos Portland Valderrivas S A
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Cement
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Giles, Virginia
Mine Controller: Lhoist Group
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Lime
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Pulaski, Arkansas
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Granite