Mining Publication: Major Disasters at Metal and Nonmetal Mines and Quarries in the United States (Excluding Coal Mines)

A chronological list of accidents at metal and nonmetal mines and quarries (excluding coal mines) in the United States in which five or more lives were lost has been compiled. Many accidents were described in more detail because of their unusual features. Tables have been included to indicate the number of major disasters and fatalities by the principal product mined, by state, and by 10-year intervals prior to 1945. The number of men employed to indicate man-hours exposed is unavailable; therefore, a true picture of disaster data by principal product mined, by state, and by 10-year intervals is not possible. However, the data are presented to indicate the causes of major accidents and bring to the attention of those affiliated with metal and nonmetal mines and quarries the hazards involved and lessons that can be practiced to keep such accidents at a minimum.

Note: Table 1 incorrectly reports 14 fatalities at the Shakespeare Placer mine in Dome Creek, Alaska. The 1911 shaft cave-in actually resulted in zero fatalities and should not be included in this report. This error also affects Tables 2–4, which list disasters and fatalities by state, product, and year. For an explanation of how this error was discovered and corrected, see "Data Detectives: How OMSHR Corrected a Century-old Error."