Latest Mining Headlines
All the headlines from our Mining Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Louisiana Lawmakers Seek Better Oversight of Salt Mines
Apr 16 2013 // Lawmakers in Lousiana are looking to prevent a repeat of the massive Assumption Parish sinkhole that officials say was caused by a collapsed underground salt cavern – and make sure prospective property owners know what...
Remembering 29 Miners Lost in West Virginia Blast 3 Years Ago
Apr 8 2013 // As West Virginians marked the third anniversary of an explosion that killed 29 coal miners Friday, congressional Democrats called the lack of action on tougher mine safety legislation “shameful.” Gov. Earl Ray...
Congressmen Renew Push for Tougher Federal Mine Safety Laws
Mar 26 2013 // With five coal mining fatalities in West Virginia so far this year, Democratic U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall is renewing his push for tougher federal laws. He and Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., are co-sponsoring a new version of...
Research Panel Recommends Steps to Help Mine Workers Escape in Emergencies
Mar 18 2013 // Federal regulators and safety officials should consider requiring more backup air supplies and work to develop better breathing devices that would help the nation’s coal miners escape underground emergencies, a panel...
West Virginia Cites 45 Violations After 2 Deaths at Mine
Feb 28 2013 // State inspectors have issued 45 violations at a West Virginia coal mine since two men died there earlier this month, including one for negligently rigging the switch on a hoist with a piece of wood and a rusty bolt,...
Negligent Mine Inspectors Can Be Sued
Feb 25 2013 // Private and federal mine safety inspectors can be held liable and sued when a negligent inspection results in the wrongful death of a coal miner, the West Virginia Supreme Court ruled in handing a victory to the widows of...
West Virginia Coal Mines Shut Down to Review Safety Following Deaths
Feb 22 2013 // West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin on Wednesday asked coal companies to halt production for an hour to review safety procedures following the state’s fourth mining fatality in two weeks and the sixth since...
West Virginia Revises Penalties for Mine Safety Violations
Feb 8 2013 // West Virginia regulators have revised a proposed rule that would increase fines for mine safety and health violations. The original proposal would have raised the civil penalties across the board. The revised rule filed...
West Virginia Court Rules Negligent Mine Inspectors Can Be Sued
Feb 7 2013 // Private and federal mine safety inspectors can be held liable and sued when a negligent inspection results in the wrongful death of a coal miner, the state Supreme Court ruled in handing a victory to the widows of two men...
West Virginia Not Enforcing Mine Coal Dust Standards: Report
Feb 5 2013 // State standards aimed at reducing buildups of explosive coal dust in underground mines but regulators haven’t been enforced in West Virginia. More than a fifth of the more than 5,500 dust samples taken from mines by...
Willis’ Report Focuses on Threats Facing Mining Industry
Feb 5 2013 // “Resource nationalism, poor infrastructure that impedes development and supply chain disruptions are some of the biggest risks facing the mining sector in the year ahead,” according to this year’s Mining...
Safety Rule on Methane in West Virginia Mines Stalled
Feb 4 2013 // A rule that could toughen the limits on methane gas levels in West Virginia coal mines remains stalled as state officials debate both definitions and a timetable for implementation. The State Journal said last week’s...
U.S. Issues Mine Safety Rule on Patterns of Violations
Jan 18 2013 // Labor Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced a final rule to strengthen safety in the nation’s most dangerous mines. Solis said that the rule, which revises the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s...
Veteran Inspector White Named West Virginia Mine Safety Chief
Jan 2 2013 // A longtime mine inspector and safety official will now head such efforts in West Virginia, after Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin appointed Eugene White as director for the Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training. White...
Kentucky Miner Who Reported Safety Violations Faces Discipline
Dec 20 2012 // The Office of Mine Safety and Licensing is asking that an eastern Kentucky miner who reported safety violations be put on probation because he worked in unsafe conditions. Mackie Bailey faces a hearing in February with the...
Former Massey Mine Executive to Enter Plea Next Month
Dec 14 2012 // A former president of Massey Energy’s White Buck Coal Co. will enter a plea on federal conspiracy charges in January as prosecutors continue to investigate the 2010 explosion at another Massey operation that killed...
Marsh Names Pittsburgh-Based East and Central Zone Mining Leader
Dec 10 2012 // Marsh, the insurance broking division of Marsh & McLennan Cos., announced that Douglas Schwab has rejoined the firm as its new East and Central zone mining leader. Douglas Schwab In this newly-created position, Schwab...
West Virginia Mine Blast Probe Widens, Top Executives Could Be Next
Nov 30 2012 // Federal prosecutors investigating the West Virginia mine explosion that killed 29 men have widened their net, filing criminal charges against a longtime Massey Energy executive who worked closely with former CEO Don...
Kentucky Mine Officials Face Prison
Nov 19 2012 // Plea agreements say two supervisors at an eastern Kentucky mine where a coal miner was killed last year knowingly violated federal safety laws. Accoording to the documents, Jefferson Davis and Joseph Miniard are planning...
Kentucky Earthquake Not Due to Mining: Geologist
Nov 14 2012 // Geologists say the 4.3 magnitude earthquake that shook eastern Kentucky last weekend was too deep to be induced by the region’s underground mining activity. The epicenter was about 10 miles west of Whitesburg, in the...
