MSHA reported that on August 25, a miner at Colt Rock and Lime LLC, Scott, Mo., died after the haul truck he was driving went through a berm in the haul road, over a highwall and overturned into water in the pit. More information will be forthcoming. MSHA also reported that on Aug. 26, an electrician died while performing elevator testing.…
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MSHA reports 18th fatality of 2025
MSHA reported that on Aug. 7, a contractor at a Rockland, Mich., sand and gravel operation died after the front-end loader he was operating traveled over the edge of a highwall, falling approximately 70 ft. This is the 18th fatality reported in 2025, and the seventh classified as “Powered Haulage.” MSHA recommends the following best practices to avoid this type…
Read MoreMSHA issues safety alert for operating mobile equipment
MSHA reported that since the beginning of calendar year 2025, mine operators have reported more than 150 accidents from the operation of mobile equipment, including 13 of 20 fatal accidents. Accidents can be prevented by examiners and mobile equipment operators looking for hazards above, below, in front, behind, and beside mobile equipment. MSHA recommends the following best practices to avoid…
Read MoreVirginia Tech professor explains why rare earths are so vital
While rare earth elements are “essential ingredients for our modern lives,” up to 82% of rare earth elements are imported from other countries, notes Aaron Noble, Virginia Tech professor and head of the Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering and interim head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Why are these rare earth elements so critical to modern…
Read MoreHudbay resumes Snow Lake operations
Canadian miner Hudbay Minerals has resumed operations in Snow Lake following the decision by the Manitoba Wildfire Service and the Town of Snow Lake to lift the mandatory wildfire evacuation order. “The emergency preparedness and extensive community response efforts were successful in safeguarding Hudbay’s surface infrastructure and facilities in Manitoba during the wildfires,” said John O’Shaughnessy, vice president of Hudbay’s…
Read MoreEquinox Gold advances Canadian operations, adds new leadership
Equinox Gold has provided an update on its cornerstone Canadian mining operations: the Valentine gold mine in Newfoundland & Labrador and the Greenstone gold mine in northern Ontario. “I am pleased to announce that our Valentine gold mine has begun processing ore through its 2.5-million-tonne-per-annum facility. We expect to pour first gold within the next month, marking another important milestone…
Read MoreNMA, EMA applaud USGS critical minerals list update
The National Mining Association (NMA) and the Essential Minerals Association (EMA) both applauded the release of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) draft revised critical minerals list, which now includes copper, lead, potash, rhenium, silicon and silver. In releasing the draft list, the USGS noted that it does not include uranium or metallurgical coal, as both are considered “fuels,” which are…
Read MoreAmerican Rare Earths begins test mine at Cowboy State
American Rare Earths, through its subsidiary Wyoming Rare (USA) Inc., has commenced construction of a test mine at the Cowboy State mine, part of the Halleck Creek deposit in Wyoming. The test mining program will extract approximately 3,200 tonnes of ore. “The commencement of test mining at CSM is a critical milestone in the company’s development pathway. Demonstration plants require…
Read MoreMSHA reports 16th and 17th fatalities of 2025
MSHA reported that on July 26, an electrician at Stillwater Mine, Stillwater, Mont., was electrocuted when he came in contact with one phase of a 13,200-volt three phase power source. This is the 16th fatality reported in 2025, and the first classified as “Electrical.” MSHA recommends the following best practices to avoid this type of accident: MSHA also reported that…
Read MoreMSHA issues impoundment safety alert after heavy precipitation
MSHA is warning that heavy rainfall and flooding across mining regions can increase the risk of impoundment instability and potential failures. Mine operators and contractors must manage these risks and take proactive steps to ensure the safety of all impoundment structures. MSHA recommends the following best practices to avoid issues with impoundments:
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