Leaders in mine safety and technology honored by NMA, federal agencies

In a ceremony in Las Vegas, NV 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 hours in a calendar year without a single lost-time injury. A minimum of 4,000 hours is required for award consideration. The award categories reflect the safety accomplishments of both small and large mines.

Twenty American mining operations – six coal mines and 14 mineral/metal mines – were honored for their extraordinary safety performance in 2023.

“No matter the size of the company, or the material mined, these awards show that safety is of the utmost importance across this diverse and vibrant industry,” said Rich Nolan , NMA president and CEO. “As the demand for mined materials continues to grow, so does our industry’s unshakeable focus on safety, and the innovative ways that modern mining utilizes advanced technologies to reduce risks across the mine environment.”

Initiated in 1923 by then Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover, a former mining engineer, the Sentinels of Safety Award program remains the nation’s most prestigious recognition of mine safety and has helped foster a strong safety commitment on the part of U.S. mines. Recipients for 2023 include the following:

Large Group Category

? Large Coal Processing, Shoal Creek Mine, Peabody Oakman, Ala.

? Large Metal/Nonmetal Mill, Red Dog Operations, Teck Alaska Inc. Kotzebue, Alaska

? Large Underground Metal, Leeville, Nevada Gold Mines operated by Barrick Carlin, NV

? Large Bank or Pit, Lamesa Plant, US Silica Co. La Mesa, TX

? Large Dredge, Briggs Plant, Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC Victoria, TX

? Large Openpit, Bald Mountain Mine, KG Mining (Bald Mountain) Inc. Ely, NV

? Large Quarry, Pennsuco Quarry, Titan Florida LLC Medley, FL

? Large Surface Coal, El Segundo, Peabody Energy Company, Grants, NM

? Large Underground Coal, Skyline Mine #3, Canyon Fuel Company LLC Helper, UT

? Large Underground Nonmetal, Ames Mine, Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. Ames, IA

Small Group Category

• Small Underground Metal, Twin Underground, Nevada Gold Mines operated by Barrick Golconda, NV
• Small Bank or Pit, Mission Materials, Mission Materials Wantage, NJ
• Small Coal Processing, #1 Plant, N F C Mining, Inc. Prestonsburg, KY
• Small Dredge, Kimaterials Incorporated, Kimaterials Inc Old Monroe, MO
• Small Metal/Nonmetal Mill, Aggrock Quarry, Heidelberg Materials Midwest Agg, Inc. Charlestown, IN
• Small Openpit, Stripping Crew, River Products Company Inc Iowa City, IA
• Small Quarry, Cleveland Quarry, Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC Cleveland, TN
• Small Surface Coal, Boone North No. 1 Surface Mine, Raven Crest Contracting, LLC Ashford, WV
• Small Underground Coal, Trace Fork #2, Coking Coal, LLC Eolia, KY
• Small Underground Nonmetal, Wingdale Mine, Wingdale Materials LLC Wingdale, NY

Technology

In addition, NIOSH will also recognize winners with its annual Mine Safety and Health Technology Innovation Awards. Honorees are selected due to the significant advancements they have made to enhance mine safety by applying technology or improved processes in innovative ways.

The following companies will be recognized for 2024:

• CONSOL Energy and KGC Solutions s will receive the 2024 NIOSH Mine Safety and Health Technology Coal Sector Innovation Award for the Electronic Mine Examination Collections Tool, an innovative recordkeeping system for an improved hazard communication, analysis of root causes and accident prevention.
• Freeport-McMoRan will receive the 2024 NIOSH Mine Safety and Health Technology Metal Sector Innovation Award for the Full Deposit Robotic Copper Cathode Stripping Machine, an application of innovative robotic technology to cathode sampling and labeling for reduced exposure to hazards and improved reliability.
• Innovative Wireless Technologies (IWT) and Allegheny Metallurgical Longview Mine will receive the 2024 NIOSH Mine Safety and Health Technology Coal Sector Innovation Award for the SENTINEL System, an innovative expanded system offering wireless communication, monitoring and tracking for faster and safer response to heating events.

Reclamation

OSMRE will also recognize two companies with its 2024 Excellence in Surface Coal Mining Reclamation National Award, which is the highest honor given to coal mining companies with exemplary coal mine reclamation in the United States.

This year, OSMRE will honor:

• Navajo Transitional Energy Company LLC , Yazzie Reclamation, Navajo Mine, Fruitland, NM
• BLACK MESA PIPELINE OPERATIONS, LLC (ONEOK, Inc.), Black Mesa Pipeline, Preparation Plant and Pump Station No. 1, Black Mesa Mine, Navajo County, Ariz., on Navajo Nation.

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