America’s Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) has released preliminary data confirming that 2012 marked improved industry performance with a near-record low number of fatalities in US mining. NMA President and CEO Hal Quinn said the data are welcome evidence of the mining community’s comprehensive efforts to improve its safety performance and emphasised the commitment to achieve zero fatalities in US mines. According to MSHA, 36 mining employees died on the job during 2012, with 19 fatalities in coal mining operations and 17 in metal-nonmetal operations, the second lowest number of mining fatalities since the agency began collecting data in 1910. Six of the 36 mining fatalities occurred at surface coal mines, 13 at surface metal-nonmetal mines, 13 at underground coal mines and four at underground metal-nonmetal mines. Picture from the US Mine Rescue Association www.usmra.com