Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin recently made several appointments to his key board, including eight in coal mining. The first is for the Virginia Coal Mine Safety Board; the five selected are Christopher Lester, retired electrician, Murray Energy; Harless Mullins, retired plant operator, Alpha Natural Resources; Michael Gary Prater, United Coal; Victoria Ratliff, University of Virginia; and Joshua West, United Mine…
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Leaders in mine safety and technology honored by NMA, federal agencies
In a ceremony in Washington, D.C., the National Mining Association (NMA), the U.S. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) honored outstanding achievements in mine safety, technology and reclamation. The NMA’s Sentinels of Safety Award recognizes coal and mineral mining operations in 10 categories for recording the most…
Read MoreSEEING IN THE DARK
Heavy mobile equipment operating in the confined spaces of an underground mine poses a serious safety hazard. Proximity detection and collision avoidance systems can play an important role in mitigating that risk. By Jonathan Rowland One of the biggest safety risks in an underground mining operation is the interaction between mobile assets and personnel. “The risk exposure in this area…
Read MoreWVU gets government boost for rare earth work
A group of researchers at West Virginia University have been awarded US$3 million from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to increase the supply of rare earth elements and critical minerals extracted from acid mine drainage across the country. The researchers, led by Paul Ziemkiewicz, director of the Water Research Institute at WVU, will establish resource recovery sites in West…
Read MoreFisher Phillips introduces MSHA Violations Tracker
U.S-based labor and law firm Fisher Phillips has released what is considered a first in technology for the nation’s industry: the MSHA Safety Tracker. Powered by Microsoft Power BI and leveraging a comprehensive dataset of violations reported by the U.S. Department of Labor, the tracker – known more formally as the Mine Safety and Health Administration Violations Tracker – can…
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