Colorado-based NioCorp, owner of the Elk Creek critical minerals project in southeastern Nebraska, has kicked off construction for the site’s main access to the mine’s underground portion. With detailed engineering well underway and construction equipment mobilized to the site near Elk Creek, NioCorp has started work on the $44.6 million section of the project. The portal will serve as the…
Read MoreTag: MSHA
Missouri Mine Safety Conference a success
The Annual Missouri Mine Safety & Health Conference (MMSHC) was held Jan. 14-16 at Margaritaville of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Mo. This year’s speaker line-up consisted of safety professionals from throughout the mining industry. Topics included leadership, training and responsibilities for mine supervisors as well as miners’ mental and physical health. The dangers and awareness of UG battery safety on…
Read MoreSuperior’s dust control solutions target conveyor transfer zones
As mine operators and aggregate producers prepare for stricter Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) regulations on respirable crystalline silica and airborne dust, Superior Industries spotlights new dust control solutions for conveyor transfer points and load zones. The conveyor manufacturer’s new Adjustable Skirtboard Systems and RockGuard Skirting Liners are engineered for flexibility across multiple conveyor configurations, without the need for any custom…
Read MoreThese boots are made for mining
Muck Boots graciously sent this editor a pair of Chore Classic Met Guard PR work boots to try out. I put them through their paces – and nearly forgot I was wearing them. by Donna Schmidt One of the headaches nearly every miner suffers at one point or another in their work career is finding a pair of work boots…
Read MoreMSHA reported 33 fatalities in 2025
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reported 33 mining industry fatalities for 2025. That is up from 28 in 2024. These fatalities include both employee and contractor deaths. There were also three “non-chargeable” fatalities in 2025, deaths that are determined to be unrelated to mining activity and are not included in MSHA’s fatality statistics There were four fatalities in…
Read MoreDOL, MSHA award $10.5M in grants to dozens nationwide
As part of its efforts to support mine safety, health training across the nation, the U.S. Department of Labor and Mine Safety and Health Administration have awarded grant monies totaling more than $10.5 million for the advancement of miner education to organizations in 45 states, the Navajo Nation, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Read MoreGettin’ by with a little help from my friends (at MSHA)
I need to be totally honest with you, folks. Sometimes I get close to the due date for this column and I’m utterly at a loss about what to write. That was the case a couple of months back, when I told you I wanted to write about developments at the Department of Labor, but couldn’t do it without risking…
Read MoreMSHA reports 22nd fatality of 2025
MSHA reported that on Sept. 8, at Lynch Corp., Providence, R.I., a contract haul truck driver was injured while dumping a load of material at the top of a stockpile. The ground under the truck failed, causing the truck to overturn onto its cab. The driver died later from his injuries. This is the 22nd fatality reported in 2025, and…
Read MoreMSHA issues report on 19th fatality
MSHA reported that on Aug. 25, a miner at Colt Rock and Lime LLC, Scott City, Mo., died after the haul truck he was driving went over a berm along the haul road, over a highwall and overturned into water in the pit. This is the 19th fatality reported in 2025, and the eighth classified as “Powered Haulage.” MSHA recommends…
Read MoreMSHA reports 19th and 20th fatalities
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.…
Read More