Mining accident

Mount Mulligan mine disaster in Australia 1921, these cable drums were blown 50 feet (15 m) from their foundations following a coal dust explosion

A mining accident is an accident that occurs during the process of mining minerals.

Thousands of miners die from mining accidents each year, especially in the processes of coal mining and hard rock mining. Most of the deaths nowadays occur in developing countries, especially China and rural parts of developed countries.

Causes

Mining accidents can have a variety of causes, including leaks of poisonous gases such as hydrogen sulfide^[1] or explosive natural gases, especially firedamp or methane,^[2] dust explosions, collapsing of mine stopes, mining-induced seismicity, flooding, or general mechanical errors from improperly used or malfunctioning mining equipment (such as safety lamps or electrical equipment). Use of improper explosives underground can also cause methane and coal-dust explosions.

Accidents by country

For more details on this topic, see Category:Mining disasters.

Australia

New South Wales's Mount Kembla Mine disaster of 31 July 1902 was an explosion resulting in the death of 96 miners, including two engaged in rescue work.

An explosion at the Mount Mulligan mine on 19 September 1921 killed 75 workers. Only 11 bodies could be recovered.

Tasmania's Beaconsfield Mine collapse occurred on 25 April 2006. Of the 17 people who were in the mine at the time, 14 escaped immediately following the collapse, one was killed and the remaining two were found alive after five days.

Belgium

On March 4, 1887, 120 miners died in a coal mine in La Boule, Borinage due to a methane explosion.^{[citation needed]}

On the morning of August 8, 1956, a fire in the mine Bois du Cazier in Marcinelle caused 262 victims, with only 12 survivors .^[3] A mining cart on an elevator cage hit an oil pipe and electricity lines, with the resulting fire trapping the miners. Most of the victims were immigrants (136 Italians, 8 Poles, 6 Greeks, 5 Germans, 5 Frenchmen, 3 Hungarians, 1 Englishman, 1 Dutchman, 1 Russian and 1 Ukrainian.^[4])

Canada

The most well-known mining accidents in Canada have all occurred within the province of Nova Scotia. These include a series of disasters referred to collectively as the Springhill mining disasters, as well as the Westray Mine disaster in 1992.

The Hillcrest mine disaster, the worst coal mining disaster of Canadian history, occurred in Alberta in 1914.

Chile

In June 1945, during a fire, 355 workers died in El Teniente by inhaling carbon monoxide, in what was called the "Tragedia del Humo" (English: The Smoke Tragedy).

In January 2006, an explosion occurred in a mine in Copiapó, leaving 70 miners trapped underground. The miners were rescued after a brief period of time, but two people died.

In August 2010, 33 miners were trapped underground. After two weeks communication was made with them but it was said at least four more months would pass before they could be rescued, though essential services could still be provided. The rescues began on Oct. 12, 2010. The first miner was brought up about 11:00 PM Eastern time. Eventually all the miners were rescued within 21 hours and 44 minutes of first rescue, on Oct. 13, 2010.

China

According to one source, in 2003 China accounted for the largest number of coal-mining fatalities, accounting for about 80% of the world’s total, although it produced only 35% of the world’s coal.^[5] Between January 2001 and October 2004, there were 188 accidents that had a death toll of more than 10, about one such accident every 7.4 days.^[5] After the 2005 Sunjiawan mine disaster, which killed at least 210 miners, a meeting of the State Council was convened to work on measures to improve work safety in coal mines. The meeting's statement indicated serious problems such as violation of safety standards and overproduction in some coal mines. Three billion yuan (360 million US dollars) were dedicated for technological renovation on work safety, gas management in particular, at state-owned major coal mines. The government also promised to send safety supervision teams to 45 coal mines with serious gas problems and invite colliery safety experts to evaluate safety situations in coal mines and formulate prevention measures.^[6]

In 2006, according to the State Work Safety Supervision Administration, 4,749 Chinese coal miners were killed in thousands of blasts, floods, and other accidents. For example, a gas explosion at the Nanshan Colliery killed 24 people on November 13, 2006; the mine was operating without any safety license and the Xinhua News Agency claimed the cause was incorrect usage of explosives. However, the 2006 rate was 20.1% less than 2005 despite an 8.1% increase in production.^[7]

The New York Times reported that China's lack of a free press, independent trade unions, citizen watchdog groups and other checks of official power has made cover-ups of mining accidents more possible, even in the Internet age. As a result, Chinese bureaucrats habitually hide scandals (such as mine disasters, chemical spills, the 2003 SARS epidemic, and tainted milk powder) for fear of being held accountable by the ruling Communist Party or exposing their own illicit deals with companies involved. Under China’s authoritarian system, superiors reward subordinates for strict compliance with goals established by authorities, like reducing mine disasters. Indeed, should a mining accident occur, the incentive to hide it is often stronger than the reward for managing it well, as any disaster is almost surely considered a liability.^[8]

In November 2009, a mining accident in Heilongjiang killed at least 104 people. It is thought to have been caused by a methane explosion followed by a coal dust explosion. Three top officials involved with the mining company were promptly dismissed.

France

Le Petit Journal illustration of the Courrières mine disaster

The Courrières mine disaster was the worst ever pit mine disaster in Europe. It caused the death of 1,099 miners (including many children) in Northern France on 10 March 1906. It seems that this disaster was surpassed only by the Benxihu Colliery accident in China on April 26, 1942, which killed 1,549 miners. A dust explosion, the cause of which is not known with certainty, devastated a coal mine operated by the Compagnie des mines de houille de Courrières (founded in 1852) between the villages of Méricourt (404 killed), Sallaumines (304 killed), Billy-Montigny (114 killed), and Noyelles-sous-Lens (102 killed) about two kilometres (one mile) to the east of Lens, in the Pas-de-Calais département (about 220 km, or 140 miles, north of Paris).

A large explosion was heard shortly after 06:30 on the morning of Saturday 10 March 1906. An elevator cage at Shaft 3 was thrown to the surface, damaging pit-head workings; windows and roofs were blown out on the surface at Shaft 4; an elevator cage raised at Shaft 2 contained only dead and unconscious miners.

New Zealand

The most notable mining accident in New Zealand is the 1896 Brunner Mine disaster, which killed all 65 miners inside. On 19 November 2010, there were two explosions five days apart at Pike River mine; 29 miners were killed and two escaped with minor injuries.

Poland

Several major mining accidents have happened in Poland. See List of mining disasters in Poland.

Russia

Several major mining accidents have happened in Russia, particularly the Ulyanovskaya Mine disaster.

South Africa

A number of major mining accidents happened in South Africa including the following accidents:

• 417 deaths on 21 January 1960 at Coalbrook North colliery. Coalbrook North colliery was one of the underground collieries of Clydesdale (Transvaal) Collieries Limited and was situated near Sasolburg in the Orange Free State province^[9][10]List of accidents and disasters by death toll.
• 64 deaths on 12 September 1983 at Hlobane Colliery near Vryheid Kwa-Zulu Natal
• 57 deaths on 12 September 1944 at Hlobane Colliery near Vryheid Kwa-Zulu Natal^[11]
• 53 deaths on 13 May 1993 at Middelbult colliery. Middelbult colliery was and is still one of the underground collieries of Sasol Mining situated near the town of Secunda in the Mpumalanga province List of accidents and disasters by death toll.

United Kingdom

England

In England, The Oaks explosion remains the worst mining accident, claiming 388 lives on 12 December 1866 near Barnsley in Yorkshire. The Hulton Colliery explosion at Westhoughton, Lancashire, in 1910 claimed the lives of 344 miners.^[12] An explosion in 1878, at the Wood Pit, Haydock, Lancashire, killed over 200 workers, although only 189 were included in the 'official list'.^[13] Another disaster that killed many miners was the Hartley Colliery Disaster, which occurred in January 1862 when the beam of the main steam winding engine broke suddenly and fell into the single shaft serving the pit. It blocked the shaft, and entombed hundreds of miners. The final death toll was 204, most of whom were suffocated by the lack of oxygen in the mine atmosphere.

In the metalliferous mines of Cornwall, some of the worst accidents were at East Wheal Rose in 1846, where 39 workers were killed by a sudden flood; at Levant mine in 1919, where 31 were killed and many injured in a failure of the man engine;^[14] 12 killed at Wheal Agar in 1883 when a cage fell down a shaft;^[15] and seven killed at Dolcoath mine in 1893 when a large stull collapsed.^[16]

Scotland

The worst mining accident in Scotland is the 1877 Blantyre mining disaster in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, which claimed 207 lives.

Wales

Crowd gathering at the pit head of the Senghenydd Colliery after the explosion in October 1913

During the period 1850 to 1930 the South Wales coalfield had the worst disaster record. This was due to the increasing number of mines being sunk to greater depths into gas-containing strata, combined with poor safety and management practices. As a result there were nearly forty underground explosions in the Glamorgan and Monmouthshire areas of the coalfield during this time. Each accident resulted in the deaths of twenty or more workers - either directly in the explosion or by suffocation by the poisonous gases formed. The total death toll from these disasters was 3,119 people. The four worst accidents in Wales were:

• 439 deaths at the Senghenydd Colliery Disaster at Universal Colliery in Senghenydd, Glamorgan, in a gas explosion in 1913.
• 290 deaths at the Albion Colliery in Cilfynydd, Glamorgan, in a gas explosion on 25 June 1894.
• 272 deaths at the Prince of Wales Colliery, Abercarn, Monmouthshire, in an explosion of 11 September 1878.^[17]
• 266 deaths in the Gresford Disaster near Wrexham in North Wales on 22 September 1934.

Some collieries, e.g. Morfa Colliery^[18], near Port Talbot, Glamorgan, and Black Vein Colliery, Risca, Monmouthshire, suffered three disasters before they were closed for being unsafe.

United States

The Monongah Mining Disaster was the worst mining accident of American history; 362 workers were killed in an underground explosion on December 6, 1907 in Monongah, West Virginia.

From 1880 to 1910, mine accidents claimed thousands of fatalities. The U.S. Bureau of Mines was created in 1910 to investigate accidents, advise industry, conduct production and safety research, and teach courses in accident prevention, first aid, and mine rescue. The Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Acts of 1969 and 1977 set further safety standards for the industry. Where annual mining deaths had numbered more than 1,000 a year during the early part of the 20th century, they decreased to an average of about 500 during the late 1950s, and to 93 during the 1990s.^[19] In addition to deaths, many thousands more are injured (an average of 21,351 injuries per year between 1991 and 1999), but overall there has been a downward trend of deaths and injuries.

In 1959, the Knox Mine Disaster occurred in Port Griffith, Pennsylvania. The swelling Susquehanna river collapsed into a mine under it and resulted in 12 deaths. In Plymouth, Pennsylvania, the Avondale Mine Disaster resulted in the deaths of 108 miners and two rescue workers after a fire in the only shaft eliminated the oxygen in the mine. Federal laws for mining safety ensued this disaster. Pennsylvania suffered another disaster in 2002 at Quecreek, 9 miners were trapped underground and subsequently rescued after 78 hours. During 2006, 72 miners lost their lives at work, 47 by coal mining. The majority of these fatalities occurred in Kentucky and West Virginia, including the Sago Mine Disaster.^[20][21] On April 5, 2010, in the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster an underground explosion caused the deaths of 29 miners.

See also

• The Stars Look Down
• The Citadel

References

1. ^ Kucuker H. Occupational fatalities among coal mine workers in Zonguldak, Turkey, 1994-2003. Occup Med (Lond). 2006 Mar;56(2):144-6. PMID 16490795
2. ^ Terazawa K, Takatori T, Tomii S, Nakano K. Methane asphyxia. Coal mine accident investigation of distribution of gas. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 1985 Sep;6(3):211-4. PMID 3870672
3. ^ Description of the mine
4. ^ Emporis News
5. ^ ^{a b} Coal mining: Most deadly job in China Zhao Xiaohui & Jiang Xueli, Xinhua News Agency, Updated: 2004-11-13 15:01
6. ^ China takes steps to halt coal mine disasters Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the U.S.A., 02 Feb 2005
7. ^ China sees coal mine deaths fall, but outlook grim 11 Jan 2007, Reuters
8. ^ Lafraniere, Sharon (2009-04-11). "Graft in China Covers Up Toll of Coal Mines". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/11/world/asia/11coal.html?_r=1. Retrieved 2010-05-12. 
9. ^ South Africa Delayed reaction : Time magazine 22 Feb 1960 - http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,939600,00.html
10. ^ Eskom annual reports 1959: http://heritage.eskom.co.za/heritage/annualreports/1959/disaster.pdf
11. ^ Hlobane disasters : http://www.disa.ukzn.ac.za/webpages/DC/LaMar84.0377.5429.009.005.Mar1984.7/LaMar84.0377.5429.009.005.Mar1984.7.pdf
12. ^ http://www.bolton.org.uk/pretoriapit.html
13. ^ http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LAN/Haydock/WoodPitExplosion.html
14. ^ Corin, John (1992). Levant, A Champion Cornish Mine. The Trevithick Society. pp. 40–44. ISBN 0-904040-37-2. 
15. ^ Vivian, John (1970). "The Wheal Agar Skip Disaster". Tales of the Cornish Miners. St. Austell: H. E. Warne Ltd. pp. 22–24. 
16. ^ Vivian, John (1970). "When the Bottom of Dolcoath Fell In". Tales of the Cornish Miners. St. Austell: H. E. Warne Ltd. pp. 38–40. 
17. ^ Abercarn Colliery at welshcoalmines.co.uk
18. ^ http://www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/GlamWest/Morfa.htm
19. ^ Historical Data on Mine Disasters in the United States U.S. Department of Labor
20. ^ All Mining Fatalities By State U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration, 15 Jan 2007
21. ^ Coal Fatalities By State U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration, 15 Jan 2007

External links

• http://www.msha.gov/MSHAINFO/FactSheets/MSHAFCT2.HTM