Another Mine Accident



A Coal Mine in Wyoming



It seems like there has been allot of mine accidents in the news lately, and your right there has been and more people have been paying attention since the accident in Chile and now there is another yesterday in New Zealand, however it just hasn't been recently like many things most have slipped the world's collective memories.

I'm sure most Americans remember back in 2006 when first there was the accident at the Sago Mine located in Tallmansville, WV that killed 12 on the second day of Jan, and then 17 days later on 19 Jan, 2 miners were killed at the Alma No. 1 in Melville, WV. and for the United States any ways finished 2006 in Holmes, Ky. at the Darby No. 1 mine which killed 5 miners on 5 May 2006. Now I want everyone to remember one thing, the US actually has one of the best mining safety records.

In 2006 73 US miners died in mine related accidents, that includes coal mines, uranium mines, gold mines, etc., then there were 67 in 2007. Since then death's in US mines have started to decline with 34 deaths in the US last year, now I don't want everyone to confuse these with death's in coal mines. The numberrs I am giving are for all types of mines in the United States. I know this seems like allot of deaths and yes even one is to many but our worst year in the history of US mining was 1907 when 3,242 men died in our mines.

Our mines need to and the Mine Safety and Health Administration need to keep working on methods to reduce our fatalities down close to zero as possible, and someday that goal will  be met. Today many countries who have mining operations still operate like the United States did back in 1907, for example it seems a month doesn't go by without hearing about mine accidents in China, deaths from mining in China is so common place, most miners there will tell you they expect to die underground in some kind of accident, allot of US miners may say that as well but the chance of it happening in the US is relatively low, in China the odds are that most likely the miners are right.

In New Zealand there are currently rescue operations going on to try and rescue 29 men trapped in a coal mine after an explosion but as of yet they say methane gas levels are to high to attempt to rescue the men who have not been heard from since yesterday. Lets pray for these miners to be alive and rescued safely but at the same time, say a word for all miners because they are the soldiers of the mining world, just like combat troops going into battle, when a  miner leaves home for work in the morning he and his family don't know if the miner will be coming back home for sure.

Mine safety in the United States has improved greatly but can still get much better, and as for the rest of the world they need to get serious about mine safety, China looses enough miners every year to populate my home town of Scott City, Ks. and I know some nations don't want our help, but we need to help those who do before the accident instead of after.