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: Exploding Vessels Under Pressure
Location: Buchanan Mine #1 - Virginia
Mine Controller: CONSOL Energy Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Damascuse 535 Crushing - Pennsylvania
Mine Controller: Timothy M Smith
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Crushed and Broken Stone, Not Elsewhere Classified
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: 43491 - Minnesota
Mine Controller: MDU Resources Group Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Stone NEC
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Fairbanks No. 4 - Virginia
Mine Controller: Wesley D. Burke
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Oxford Mining #3 - Ohio
Mine Controller: Oxford Resources Partners, LP
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Lucky Friday - Idaho
Mine Controller: Hecla Mining Company
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Silver Ore
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Anderson Sand & Gravel - Iowa
Mine Controller: Bruce A Anderson
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed, Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Mine No 9 - Kentucky
Mine Controller: Harold E Akers; Jim D Akers
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Mill Branch - Kentucky
Mine Controller: Thomas R Hamilton
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: STILLWATER MINE - Montana
Mine Controller: Stillwater Mining Company
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Platinum Group Ore
Accident Classification: Other
Location: South Area - Nevada
Mine Controller: Newmont Mining Corp
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Gold Ore
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Equality - Kentucky
Mine Controller: Armstrong Energy Inc.
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Shoemaker Mine - West Virginia
Mine Controller: CONSOL Energy Inc.
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind
Location: Mine No 1 - Kentucky
Mine Controller: Curtis Laws
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Freedom Pit - New York
Mine Controller: Lafarge S A
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Electrical
Location: Plant #1 - Idaho
Mine Controller: Eucon Corp
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Explosives and Breaking Agents
Location: Kensington - Alaska
Mine Controller: Coeur Mining, Inc.
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Gold Ore
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: North Antelope Rochelle Mine - Wyoming
Mine Controller: Peabody Powder River Operations LLC
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Mountaineer II Mine - West Virginia
Mine Controller: Arch Coal Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: 4 J's Gravel Crushing Plant 2 - Minnesota
Mine Controller: Kevin R Paul
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Century Mine - Ohio
Mine Controller: Robert E Murray
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Electrical
Location: Superior Cleaning Plant - West Virginia
Mine Controller: Classic Coal Sales, Inc.
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Other
Location: Navajo Mine - New Mexico
Mine Controller: P&H Mine Pro Services, Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
The Operator contested both MSHA's jurisdiction and the substance of the citations in this case. During discovery and the litigation process, MSHA learned that it did not have jurisdiction over the road where the fatal accident occurred. The portion of the road was open to the public and not under the control of the Mine Operator. Based on this, MSHA determined that the fatality should be delisted and should not be charged to the mining industry.
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Voyager #7 - Kentucky
Mine Controller: Alpha Natural Resources Inc.
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: P-1 - Kentucky
Mine Controller: Benjamin R. Bennett
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Eagle #1 - West Virginia
Mine Controller: Patriot Coal Corporation; Rhino Resource Partners LP
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: West Elk Mine - Colorado
Mine Controller: Arch Coal Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Other
Location: No. 5 Strip - Virginia
Mine Controller: William D Humphreys
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
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 should be de-listed and not charged to the mining industry. The death certificate indicated that the death was natural and was due to a cardiac arrhythmia due to a myocardial infarction which in turn was due to coronary artery atherosclerosis.
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Fort Knox Mine - Alaska
Mine Controller: Kinross Gold Corp
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Gold Ore
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Guyan - West Virginia
Mine Controller: Patriot Coal Corporation
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)