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 Summary

Number 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 16 1 17

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 MINES

All accidents with five or more fatalities, since 1970

YEAR DAY MINE LOCATION TYPE DEATHS

2006 05/20
Darby Mine No. 1, Kentucky Darby LLC
Harlan County, Middlesboro, Kentucky
Explosion 5

2006 01/02
Sago Mine, Anker West Virginia Mining Company Inc.
Upshur County, Buckhannon, West Virginia
Explosion 12

2001 09/23
No. 5 Mine, Jim Walter Resources, Inc. Tuscaloosa County, 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 (NON-COAL) MINES

All 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, Sushine 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

REFERENCES
1969-1990 Individual 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, Program Education and Outreach Services.