Historical Data on Mine Disasters in the United States

Historical Data on Mine Disasters in the United States The term "mine disaster" historically has been applied to mine accidents claiming five or more lives. Mine disasters, in this sense, once were appallingly common. For instance, the single year of 1907 saw 18 coal mine disasters, plus two more disasters in the metal and nonmetal mining industry. Among the disasters in 1907 was history's worst--the Monongah coal mine explosion, which claimed 362 lives and impelled Congress to created the Bureau of Mines.
Mine accidents have declined dramatically in number and severity through decades of research, technology, and preventive programs. Today, mine accidents resulting in five or more deaths are no longer common. However, preventing recurrence of disasters like those of the past remains a top priority requiring constant vigilance by management, labor, and government. Statistical SummaryNumber of Documented Mine Disasters (5 or more deaths):
Historic Period Coal Mines Metal and Nonmetal Mines Total Through 1875 19 4 23 1876-1900 101 17 118 1901-1925 305 51 356 1926-1950 147 23 170 1951-1975 35 9 44 1976-present 14 1 15

Year with largest number of coal mine disasters: 1909 (20 coal mine disasters)
Year with largest number of metal/nonmetal mine disasters: 1911 (8 metal/nonmetal mine disasters)
Year with largest number of mine disasters overall: 1910 (25 mine disasters-19 coal, 6 metal/nonmetal)
Listing of Selected Historic Mine Disasters
Coal MinesAll accidents with five or more fatalities, since 1970
Year Day Mine Location Type Deaths 2006 05/20 Darby Mine No. 1, Kentucky Darby LLC Holmes Mill, Kentucky Explosion 5 2006 01/02 Sago Mine, International Mines Corp. Tallmansville, West Virginia Explosion 12 2001 09/23 No. 5 Mine, Jim Walter Resources Tuscaloosa Co., Brookwood, Alabama Explosion 13 1992 12/07 No. 3 Mine, Southmoutain Coal Co. Wise Co., Norton, Virginia Explosion 8 1989 09/13 William Station No. 9 Mine, Pyro Mining Co. Union Co., Wheatcroft, Kentucky Explosion 10 1986 02/06 Loveridge No. 22, Consolidation Coal Co. Marion Co., Fairview, West Virginia Suffocation (surface stockpile) 5 1984 12/19 Wilberg Mine, Emery Mining Corp. Emery Co., Orangeville, Utah Fire 27 1983 06/21 McClure No. 1 Mine, Clinchfield Coal Co. Dickinson Co., McClure, Virginia Explosion 7 1982 01/20 No. 1 Mine, RFH Coal Co. Floyd Co., Craynor, Kentucky Explosion 7 1981 12/08 No. 21 Mine, Grundy Mining Co. Marion Co., Whitwell, Tennessee Explosion 13 1981 12/07 No. 11 Mine, Adkins Coal Co. Knott Co., Kite, Kentucky Explosion 8 1981 03/15 Dutch Creek No. 1, Mid-Continent Resources, Inc. Pitkin Co., Redstone, Colorado Explosion 15 1980 11/07 Ferrell No. 17, Westmorland Coal Co. Boone Co., Uneeda, West Virginia Explosion 5 1978 04/04 Moss No.3 Portal A, Clinchfield Coal Co. Dickinson Co., Duty, Virginia Suffocation (oxygen deficient air) 5 1977 03/01 Porter Tunnel, Kocher Coal Co. Schuykill Co., Tower City, Pennsylvania Flood 9 1976 03/9-11 Scotia Mine, Blue Diamond Coal Co. Letcher Co., Oven Fork, Kentucky Explosion 26 1972 12/16 Itmann No. 3 Mine, Itmann Coal Co. Wyoming Co., Itmann, West Virginia Explosion 5 1972 07/22 Blacksville No. 1, Consolidation Coal Co. Monongalia Co., Blacksville, West Virginia Fire 9 1970 12/30 Nos. 15 and 16 Mines, Finley Coal Co. Leslie Co., Hyden, Kentucky Explosion 38

The five worst coal mine disasters, since 1940:
Year Day Mine Location Type Deaths 1968 11/20 Consol No. 9 Farmington, West Virginia Explosion 78 1951 12/21 Orient No. 2 West Frankfort, Illinois Explosion 119 1947 03/25 Centralia No. 5 Centralia, Illinois Explosion 111 1940 03/16 Willow Grove No. 10 St. Clairsville, Ohio Explosion 72 1940 01/10 Pond Creek No. 1 Bartley, West Virginia Explosion 91

The three worst coal mine disasters in U.S. history:
Year Day Mine Location Type Deaths 1913 10/22 Stag Canon No. 2 Dawson, New Mexico Explosion 263 1909 11/13 Cherry Mine Cherry, Illinois Fire 259 1907 12/06 Monongah Nos. 6 and 8 Monongah, West Virginia Explosion 362

Metal and Nonmetal MinesAll accidents with five or more fatalities, since 1970:
Year Day Mine Location Type Deaths 1979 06/08 Belle Isle Mine, Cargill, Inc. (salt) St. Mary Parish, Franklin, Louisiana Explosion 5 1972 05/02 Sunshine Mine, Sunshine Mining Co. (silver) Shoshone Co., Kellogg, Idaho Fire 91 1971 04/12 Barnett Complex, Ozark-Mahoning Co. (fluorspar) Pope Co., Rosiclair, Illinois Hydrogen sulfide gas 7

The five worst metal and nonmetal mine disasters, since 1940:
Year Day Mine Location Type Deaths 1972 05/02 Sunshine Mine (silver) Kellogg, Idaho Fire 91 1968 03/06 Belle Isle Mine (salt) Franklin, Louisiana Fire 21 1963 08/28 Cane Creek Mine (potash) Moab, Utah Explosion 18 1943 01/05 Boyd Mine (copper) Ducktown, Tennessee Explosion 9 1942 03/26 Sandts Eddy Quarry (limestone) Allentown, Pennsylvania Explosion (surface) 31

The three worst metal and nonmetal mine disasters in U.S. history:
Year Day Mine Location Type Deaths 1972 05/02 Sunshine Mine (silver) Kellogg, Idaho Fire 91 1926 11/03 Barnes Hecker Mine (iron) Ishpeming, Michigan Flood 51 1917 06/08 Granite Mountain Shaft (copper) Butte, Montana Fire 163
References1969-1990Individual Bureau of Mines, MESA, and MSHA accident investigation reports.
Historic AccidentsCoal Mines: Bureau of Mines Bulletin 586, "Historical Summary of Coal-Mine Explosions in the United States, 1810-1958" (1960). Bureau of Mines Bulletin 616, "Historical Documentation of Major Coal-Mine Disasters in the United States Not Classified As Explosions of Gas or Dust: 1846-1962" (1963). Bureau of Mines Information Circular 8909, "Historical Summary of Coal Mine Explosions in the United States, 1959-81" (1983). "Coal Accidents That Resulted in 5 or More Fatalities Mine From 1957 Through January 1982," listing informally maintained by staff, Office of Information and Public Affairs.
Metal/Nonmetal Mines: Bureau of Mines IC 7493, "Major Disasters at Metal and Nonmetal Mines and Quarries in the United States (Excluding Coal Mines)" (1949). "List of accidents at metal and nonmetal mines and quarries (except coal mines) in the United States in which five or more lives were lost," update of Table 1 from the preceding publication, informally maintained by staff, Office of Information and Public Affairs.