Prominent Mine Disasters in the United States

Follow these links for many, many more:  Worst Disasters;  Rescue Success Stories;  Rescuer Deaths

The "Planet" links below will open in a separate window providing a depiction of the position of the planets on the date of the associated disaster. To view lists of all disasters that occurred in a specific year, or city and state, click on the "Date" and "Location" links below.  These links will also open in a separate window.  Visit here to search all coal and metal/nonmetal mine disasters since 1839.

Mine Fires  (see all Mine Fires)   Mouseover the moon phase icon to view a larger image for the corresponding date. Date Mine Name Location Mineral Deaths Planets Moon 01/19/2006 Aracoma Alma Melville, WV Coal 2 12/19/1984 Wilberg Wilberg, UT Coal 27 07/22/1972 Blacksville No. 1 Blacksville, WV Coal 9 05/02/1972 Sunshine Kellogg, ID Silver 91 03/26/1971 Nemacolin Nemacolin, PA Coal 3 03/05/1968 Belle Isle Salt Franklin, LA Salt 21 07/16/1950 Lark Lark, UT Lead 5 07/05/1944 Powhatan Belmont, OH Coal 66 11/24/1927 Magma Superior, AZ Copper 7 08/27/1922 Argonaut Jackson, CA Gold 47 12/13/1921 Satanic Morrison, CO Coal 6 06/08/1917 Granite Mountain Butte, MT Copper 164 02/14/1916 Pennsylvania Butte, MT Copper 21 08/23/1911 Giroux Ely, NV Gold/Silver 7 05/05/1911 Hartford Negaunee, MI Iron 7 04/07/1911 Price-Pancoast Throop, PA Coal 73 02/23/1911 Belmont Tonopah, NV Gold/Silver 17 11/08/1910 Victor American 3 Delagua, CO Coal 79 11/13/1909 Cherry (St. Paul No. 2) Cherry, IL Coal 259 11/06/1903 Kearsarge Virginia City, MT Gold 9 11/22/1901 Pocahontas Baby Pocahontas, VA Coal 8 11/14/1901 Pocahontas Baby Pocahontas, VA Coal 9 11/20/1901 Smuggler Union Pandora, CO Gold 30 09/07/1895 Osceola Calumet, MI Copper 30 06/16/1890 Hill Farm Dunbar, PA Coal 31 09/06/1869 Avondale Plymouth, PA Coal 110 04/07/1869 KY-Yellow Jacket Gold Hill, NV Gold 37 Mine Explosions  (see all Mine Explosions)   Mouseover the moon phase icon to view a larger image for the corresponding date. Date Mine Name Location Mineral Deaths Planets Moon 04/05/2010 Upper Big Branch Montcoal, WV Coal 29 05/20/2006 Darby Holmes Mill, KY Coal 5 01/02/2006 Sago Tallmansville, WV Coal 12 01/22/2003 McElroy Cameron, WV Coal 3 09/23/2001 JWR No. 5 Brookwood, AL Coal 13 07/31/2000 Willow Creek Helper, UT Coal 2 12/07/1992 Southmountain No. 3 Norton, VA Coal 8 03/19/1992 Blacksville No. 1 Blacksville, WV Coal 4 09/13/1989 William Station No. 9 Sullivan, KY Coal 10 07/03/1983 Homer City Homer City, PA Coal 1 06/21/1983 McClure No. 1 McClure, VA Coal 7 01/20/1982 RHF No. 1 Craynor, KY Coal 7 12/08/1981 Grundy No. 21 Whitewell, TN Coal 13 12/07/1981 Adkins No. 11 Kite, KY Coal 8 09/09/1981 Warrier Burgdorf, ID Gold 3 04/15/1981 Dutch Creek No. 1 Redstone, CO Coal 15 11/07/1980 Ferrell No. 17 Uneeda, WV Coal 5 06/08/1979 Belle Isle Salt Franklin, LA Salt 5 03/09/1976 Scotia Oven Fork, KY Coal 26 12/16/1972 Itmann No. 3 Itmann, WV Coal 5 12/30/1970 Finley Nos. 15 & 16 Hyden, KY Coal 38 11/20/1968 Consol No. 9 Farmington, WV Coal 78 07/23/1966 Siltix Mt. Hope, WV Coal 7 05/24/1965 C. L. Kline No. 2 Robbins, TN Coal 5 08/27/1963 Cane Creek Moab, UT Potash 18 12/06/1962 Robena Carmichaels, PA Coal 37 03/23/1959 Phillips & West No. 1 Robbins, TN Coal 9 10/27/1958 Bishop No. 34 McDowell County, WV Coal 22 11/13/1954 Jamison No. 9 Farmington, WV Coal 16 12/21/1951 Orient No. 2 West Frankfort, IL Coal 119 03/25/1947 Centralia No. 5 Centralia, IL Coal 111 08/28/1943 Sayreton No. 2 Sayreton, AL Coal 28 02/27/1943 Smith No. 3 Bearcreek, MT Coal 74 05/12/1942 Christopher No. 3 Osage, WV Coal 56 07/15/1940 Sonman "E" Portage, PA Coal 63 03/16/1940 Willow Grove No. 10 Neffs, OH Coal 72 01/10/1940 Bartley No. 1 Bartley, WV Coal 91 07/14/1939 Duvin Providence, KY Coal 28 04/22/1938 Keen Mountain Grundy, VA Coal 45 12/23/1932 Shafer Moweaqua, IL Coal 54 11/05/1930 No. 6 Millfield, OH Coal 82 12/17/1929 Old Town McAlester, OK Coal 61 03/21/1929 Kinloch Parnassus, PA Coal 45 05/19/1928 Mather Mather, PA Coal 195 04/30/1927 Federal No. 3 Everettville, WV Coal 97 08/26/1926 Clymer No. 1 Clymer, PA Coal 44 02/03/1926 Horning No. 4 Horning, PA Coal 20 01/13/1926 Mine 21 Wilburton, OK Coal 91 12/10/1925 Overton No. 2 Acmar, AL Coal 53 05/27/1925 Farmville Coal Glen, NC Coal 53 02/20/1925 City Sullivan, IN Coal 52 04/28/1924 Benwood Benwood, WV Coal 119 03/28/1924 Yukon No. 2 Yukon, WV Coal 26 03/08/1924 Castle Gate No. 2 Castle Gate, UT Coal 172 01/26/1924 Lancashire No. 18 Shanktown, PA Coal 36 11/06/1923 Glen Rogers Beckley, WV Coal 27 08/14/1923 Frontier No. 1 Kemmerer, WY Coal 99 02/08/1923 Stag Canon No. 1 Dawson, NM Coal 120 11/22/1922 Dolomite No. 3 Dolomite, AL Coal 90 11/06/1922 Reilly No. 1 Spangler, PA Coal 79 02/02/1922 Gates No. 2 Gates, PA Coal 25 04/15/1920 No. 3 Shaft Delcambre, LA Salt 6 06/05/1919 Baltimore Tunnel 2 Wilkes-Barre, PA Coal 92 04/29/1919 Majestic Majestic, AL Coal 22 09/28/1918 North No. 1 Royalton, IL Coal 21 06/27/1918 Silver Virginia, MN Iron 18 08/04/1917 W. Kentucky No. 7 Clay, KY Coal 62 07/17/1917 Three Forks Quarry Trident, MT Gypsum 8 04/27/1917 Hastings Hastings, CO Coal 121 11/14/1916 Bessie Palos, AL Coal 30 11/16/1915 Northwestern Ravensdale, WA Coal 31 03/02/1915 Layland No. 3 Layland, WV Coal 115 10/27/1914 Royalton North No. 1 Royalton, IL Coal 52 04/28/1914 Eccles Nos. 5 & 6 Eccles, WV Coal 181 10/22/1913 Stag Canon No. 2 Dawson, NM Coal 263 04/23/1913 Cincinnati Courtney, PA Coal 98 07/07/1912 Eureka Pit Ely, NV Copper 10 03/26/1912 Jed Jed, WV Coal 81 03/20/1912 San Bois No. 2 McCurtain, OK Coal 73 12/09/1911 Cross Mountain Briceville, TN Coal 84 04/08/1911 Banner Littleton, AL Coal 128 01/18/1911 Keating Radersburg, MT Gold 6 10/08/1910 Starkville Starkville, CO Coal 58 05/05/1910 Palos No. 3 Palos, AL Coal 83 03/02/1910 Alaska-Mexican Treadwell, AK Gold 37 01/31/1910 Primero Primero, CO Coal 75 01/12/1909 Lick Branch Switchback, WV Coal 67 12/29/1908 Lick Branch Switchback, WV Coal 50 11/28/1908 Rachel and Agnes Marianna, PA Coal 154 03/28/1908 Hanna No. 1 Hanna, WY Coal 59 12/19/1907 Darr Van Meter, PA Coal 239 12/16/1907 Yolande Yolande, AL Coal 57 12/06/1907 Monongah 6 & 8 Monongah, WV Coal 362 12/01/1907 Naomi Fayette City, PA Coal 34 01/29/1907 Stuart Stuart, WV Coal 84 04/03/1905 Zeigler Zeigler, IN Coal 49 03/18/1905 Rush Run/Red Ash Red Ash, WV Coal 24 02/20/1905 Virginia City Virginia City, AL Coal 112 01/25/1904 Harwick Cheswick, PA Coal 179 06/30/1903 Hanna No. 1 Hanna, WY Coal 169 07/10/1902 Rolling Mill Johnstown, PA Coal 112 05/19/1902 Fraterville Coal Creek, TN Coal 184 06/10/1901 Port Royal No. 2 Port Royal, PA Coal 19 05/01/1900 Winter Quarters Scofield, UT Coal 200 03/06/1900 Red Ash Red Ash, WV Coal 49 02/18/1896 Vulcan New Castle, CO Coal 49 03/20/1895 Red Canyon No. 5 Red Canyon, WY Coal 60 01/16/1895 Butte Hardware Co. Butte, MT N/A 150 05/10/1892 Roslyn Roslyn, WA Coal 45 01/07/1892 Mine No. 11 Krebs, OK Coal 100 01/27/1891 Mammoth No. 1 Mt. Pleasant, PA Coal 109 11/09/1888 Frontenac Shaft No. 2 Frontenac, KS Coal 40 01/21/1886 Orrel Newburg, WV Coal 39 03/13/1884 Laurel Pocahontas, VA Coal 112 01/24/1884 Crested Butte Crested Butte, CO Coal 59 04/03/1867 Bright Hope Winterpock, VA Coal 69 Mine Cave-ins  (see all Mine Cave-ins)   Mouseover the moon phase icon to view a larger image for the corresponding date. Date Mine Name Location Mineral Deaths Planets Moon 08/06/2007 Crandall Canyon Huntington, UT Coal 9 02/13/1991 J & T No. 1 St. Charles, VA Coal 4 01/04/1989 Cumberland Valley Middlesboro, KY Coal 3 09/12/1984 Berger No. 2 Evarts, KY Coal 4 05/10/1982 Magma Superior, AZ Copper 4 08/13/1963 Sheppton Sheppton, PA Coal 1 02/10/1943 C. F. and H. Shullsburg, WI Lead/Zinc 8 05/13/1912 Norrie Ironwood, MI Iron 7 09/28/1911 Shakespeare Placer Dome Creek, AK Gold 0 06/28/1896 Twin Shaft Pittston, PA Coal 58 Mine Inundations  (see all Mine Inundations)   Mouseover the moon phase icon to view a larger image for the corresponding date. Notice the consistent occurrence of new and full moons and the alignment of the earth with two or more other planets.  Makes you wonder, doesn't it? Date Mine Name Location Mineral Deaths Planets Moon 07/24/2002 Quecreek Friedens, PA Coal 0 06/03/1981 Grays Knob No. 5 Harlan County, KY Coal 3 04/04/1978 Moss No. 3 Portal A Duty, VA Coal 5 03/01/1977 Porter Tunnel Tower City, PA Coal 9 05/06/1968 Saxsewell No. 8 Hominy Falls, WV Coal 4 01/22/1959 River Slope Port Griffith, PA Coal 12 11/03/1926 Barnes-Hecker Ishpeming, MI Iron 51 02/05/1924 Milford Crosby, MN Iron 41 02/21/1918 Amasa-Porter Crystal Falls, MI Iron 17 07/24/1912 Superba and Lemont Evans Station, PA Coal 18 10/19/1911 Wharton Hibernia, MI Iron 12 05/26/1898 Kaska William Middleport, PA Coal 6 08/29/1895 Sleepy Hollow Sleepy Hollow, CO Gold 14 09/28/1893 Mansfield Crystal Falls, MI Iron 28 02/24/1891 Spring Mountain No. 1 Jeansville, PA Coal 13 12/18/1885 Nanticoke No. 1 Nanticoke, PA Coal 26 02/16/1883 Diamond Braidwood, IL Coal 69 Mine Asphyxiations  (see all Mine Asphyxiations)   Mouseover the moon phase icon to view a larger image for the corresponding date. Date Mine Name Location Mineral Deaths Planets Moon 11/17/2013 Revenue-Virginius Ouray, CO Gold/Silver 2 08/13/1936 Mountain City Mountain City, NV Copper 6 04/28/1917 Mountain King Mariposa County, CA Gold 7 Hoisting Accidents  (see all Mine Hoisting Accidents)   Mouseover the moon phase icon to view a larger image for the corresponding date. Date Mine Name Location Mineral Deaths Planets Moon 10/06/1936 Morning Mullan, ID Lead 10 04/23/1913 Leonard Butte, MT Copper 5 09/03/1911 Butte & Superior Butte, MT Zinc 6