The National Mining Association (NMA), the U.S. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), US Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM), will gather this week to honour outstanding achievements in mine safety, environmental stewardship and technology. The awards ceremonies will take place on September 27, in Washington, D.C.
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.
A total of 20 American mining operations – six coal mines and 14 mineral/metal mines – will be honoured with the award recognizing performance in 2017.
“Safety is the prism through which our industry views every issue. Whether a company is opening a new mine, has a longstanding operation, or is incorporating new technologies, today’s mining industry leaders are always exploring ways to keep miners safe today, and improve for tomorrow,” said Hal Quinn, NMA president and CEO. “Through these awards, we acknowledge outstanding accomplishments in safety and hope that these companies’ achievements can serve as a model for others in industry.”
Initiated in 1925 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 US mines.
Recipients include the following:
Large Group
• Underground Coal: Bull Mountains Mine No. 1 – Signal Peak Energy LLC
• Quarry: Drake Quarry – Drake Cement LLC
• Underground Metal: Exodus – Newmont USA Limited (NMA member)
• Open Pit: Genesis – Newmont USA Limited (NMA member)
• Metal/Nonmetal Mill: Grand Saline Operations – Morton Salt (NMA member)
• Coal Processing Facility: Kayenta Mine – Peabody Western Coal Co. (NMA member)
• Underground Nonmetal: Kerford Limestone – Kerford Limestone Co.
• Surface Coal: Kosse Strip – Luminant (NMA member)
• Dredge: Samsund LLC – Samsund LLC
• Bank or Pit: Santosh DBA – CalPortland Co.
Small Group
• Underground Metal: Buckhorn Mine – Crown Resources Corp. (NMA Member)
• Underground Nonmetal: Burning Springs Mine – Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.
• Metal/Nonmetal Mill: Columbus Quarry LLC – Columbus Quarry LLC
• Underground Coal: Cooper Ridge Deep Mine – Kopper Glo Mining, LLC
• Bank or Pit: CR5 – Oldcastle SW Group, Inc
• Dredge: Danz – Peoria Concrete Construction Co.
• Coal Processing Facility: Holden No 22 Preparation Plant – Arch Coal, Inc. (NMA member)
• Open Pit: Materion Natural Resources – Materion Natural Resources (NMA member)
• Quarry: SBM Materials – SBM Materials
• Surface Coal: Solomon Run – Elk Resources, Inc.
Environmental Contributions
The US Department of the Interior recognized two coal companies, two hardrock companies and one equipment manufacturer for their outstanding environmental performance, mine reclamation accomplishments and community outreach programs.
OSMRE 2018 winners include:
• National Award: Peabody Midwest Mining LLC – Wild Boar Mine – Barren Fork Pit – Lynnville, Indiana (NMA member)
• National Award: Big Sky Coal Company – Big Sky Mine Area B – Rosebud County, Montana (NMA member)
• Good Neighbor Award: Peabody Midwest Operations LLC – Bear Run Mine – Carlisle, Indiana (NMA member)
• Good Neighbor Award: Trapper Mining Inc. – Trapper Mine – Craig, Colorado (NMA member)
BLM 2018 winners include:
• Hardrock Mineral Environmental Award: M-I, LLC (Wyoming)
• Hardrock Mineral Small Operator Award: Western Mining and Minerals, Inc. (Utah)
• “Fix A Shaft Today!” Award: Comstock Mining, Inc. (Nevada)
Technology
In addition, NIOSH will recognize this year’s Mine Safety and Health Technology Innovations Awards winners. Honourees 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 were recognized for 2018:
• Anglo American (pictured)
• CONSOL Energy Inc. (NMA member)
• Komatsu Mining (NMA member)
