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A mining accident is a dangerous and often deadly accident that occurs in the process of mining minerals from underneath the surface of the earth. Thousand of miners die from mining accidents each year, especially in the process of coal mining and hard rock mining. Most of the deaths 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 methane or explosive natural gases called firedamp, Asphyxiant gases, dust explosions, collapsing of mine stopes, flooding, or general mechanical errors from improperly used or malfunctioning mining equipment.

American accidents

In the United States in 2006, 72 miners lost their lives at work, 47 in coal mining. The majority of these fatalities occurred in Kentucky and West Virginia, including the Sago Mine Disaster.

In addition to deaths, many thousands more are injured (an average of 21,351 injuries per year between 1991 and 1999). Overall, there has been a downward trend in deaths and injuries. 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 in the early part of the 20th century, they decreased to an average of about 500 in the late 1950s, and to 93 during the 1990's.

The deadliest mining disaster in American history took place on December 6, 1907 in Monongah, West Virginia. Three hundred sixty-two men and young boys were killed when an underground explosion took place.

Chinese accidents

China currently accounts for the largest number of coal-mining fatalities, accounting for about 80% of the world’s total although it produces only 35% of the world’s coal.

In 2006, according to the State Work Safety Supervision Administration, 4,746 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 licence 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% rise in production. Between January 2001 to October 2004, there were 188 accidents with a death toll of more than 10, about one death every 7.4 days.

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 pointed out serious problems such as violation of safety standards and overproduction in some coal mines. Three billion yuan (36 million US dollars) were earmarked 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.

The worst coal mining disaster in the world took place on April 26, 1942 in Benxihu Colliery, located at Benxi, Liaoning. A coal-dust explosion killed 1,549 miners working that day.

See also

• List of mining disasters

External links

• Price Waterhouse Cooper press release

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. All Mining Fatalities By State U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration, 15 Jan 2007
3. Coal Fatalities By State U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration, 15 Jan 2007
4. Historical Data on Mine Disasters in the United States U.S. Department of Labor
5. ^ Coal mining: Most deadly job in China Zhao Xiaohui & Jiang Xueli, Xinhua News Agency, Updated: 2004-11-13 15:01
6. China sees coal mine deaths fall, but outlook grim 11 Jan 2007, Reuters
7. China takes steps to halt coal mine disasters Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the U.S.A., 02 Feb 2005

• Mining disasters
• Hazards
• Mining disasters in the United States
• Mining