Who owned Upper Big Branch mine
Andrew White
Published Apr 28, 2026
The mine was operated by the Performance Coal Company, a subsidiary of Massey Energy. The explosion ignited from an unknown source with high methane levels being a contributing causal factor. Twenty-five men were initially identified as killed.
Who or what caused the Upper Big Branch mine disaster?
Monday marks 11 years since the Upper Big Branch coal mine disaster in Raleigh County, West Virginia, where 29 miners were killed on April 5, 2010. Federal mine safety investigators determined that a buildup of methane gas and coal dust led to the explosion at the Massey Energy-owned mine.
Who died in Upper Big Branch mine?
- Carl Calvin “Pee Wee” Acord (1958-2010)
- Jason Atkins (1984-2010)
- Christopher Bell (1976-2010)
- Gregory Steven Brock (1963-2010)
- Kenneth A. Chapman (1956-2010)
- Robert E. Clark (1969-2010)
- Cory Thomas Davis (1989-2010)
- Charles Timothy Davis (1958-2010)
Who bought Massey Energy?
NEW YORK/CHICAGO (Reuters) – Alpha Natural Resources said on Saturday it agreed to a $7.1 billion deal to buy Massey Energy Co, which was rocked by a deadly coal mining accident last year.Is mine 9 a true story?
Inspired by true events, the movie is about a crew of nine men working in an underground mine in Appalachia when things go wrong. “It’s not based on any one event, but based on several that have happened over time,” said Kevin Sizemore, a Princeton, West Virginia native who stars in the movie.
How many miners survived mine 9?
9 coal mine north of Farmington and Mannington, West Virginia, United States. The explosion was large enough to be felt in Fairmont, almost 12 miles away. At the time, 99 miners were inside. Over the course of the next few hours, 21 miners were able to escape the mine, but 78 were still trapped.
Where is the deepest mine in the world located?
The deepest mine in the world is AngloGold Ashanti’s Mponeng gold mine, near Johannesburg in South Africa. By 2012, the operating depth had already reached 3.9-km below the surface, and later expansions have resulted in digging below the 4-km mark.
Who died in the Sago mine disaster?
Ware Jr.; David Lewis; Jackie Weaver; Martin Toler Jr. and Marshall Winans. Most of them died from from carbon monoxide asphyxiation. They waited for 41 hours for rescue crews to reach them.Is Massey still in business?
TypePublicFateAcquired by Alpha Natural ResourcesHeadquartersRichmond, VA
How many miners died in West Virginia?LocationSago, West VirginiaCauseCoal Mine Explosion caused by an alleged lightning strike at or near the mine entranceCasualties12 dead
Article first time published onHow many coal mining accidents have there been?
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), there have been 622 coal mining accidents that resulted in five or more fatalities from 1839 to 2007.
How much does a coal miner make?
Salary Ranges for Coal Miners The salaries of Coal Miners in the US range from $11,105 to $294,800 , with a median salary of $53,905 . The middle 57% of Coal Miners makes between $53,905 and $133,947, with the top 86% making $294,800.
Where does Mine 9 take place?
BLUEFIELD — West Virginia native and actor, Kevin Sizemore recently starred in a new movie called Mine 9. It is inspired by true events of coal mine disasters, but not one accident in particular. Instead, the movie was written as a juxtaposition of realistic portrayals of miners and their families.
Where was mine filmed?
The movie was shot in Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands. The directors dedicated the film in memory of their location manager, Nikolai Semjevski (1975 – 2015).
What is the new gold deposit called?
Gold may occur as deposits called lodes, or veins, in fractured rock. It may also be dispersed within Earth’s crust. Most lode deposits form when heated fluids circulate through gold-bearing rocks, picking up gold and concentrating it in new locations in the crust.
How deep can gold be found underground?
Other gold mines use underground mining, where the ore is extracted through tunnels or shafts. South Africa has the world’s deepest hard rock gold mine up to 3,900 metres (12,800 ft) underground. At such depths, the heat is unbearable for humans, and air conditioning is required for the safety of the workers.
Where is the world's largest gold mine?
1. Muruntau, Uzbekistan. The Muruntau mine in Uzbekistan is the largest gold mine in the world in terms of production. In a single year, Muruntau produces over 2 million ounces of gold.
What caused the Farmington mine Disaster?
For 40 years, it has been a mystery why 78 men died in a mine explosion in Farmington, W.Va. At the time, federal officials said they didn’t know. But several months after the explosion, a federal investigator discovered one possible explanation — a safety alarm on a ventilation fan had been deliberately disabled.
What caused the Quecreek Mine disaster?
Site, with capped rescue hole (center), in July 2013.DateJuly 24, 2002 – July 28, 2002CauseAccidental breach of flooded neighboring mine
Was there a mining disaster in New York in 1941?
There was no mining disaster in New York in 1941, although there was one in McIntire, Pennsylvania, which killed six people. The song, though, was vaguely inspired by the Aberfan tragedy in South Wales.
Is the Sago Mine still open?
The Sago Mine, where 12 miners died in West Virginia’s worst coal mining accident in four decades, will be closed permanently early next year, its owner said Friday.
How many people died in the Sago Mine?
An explosion at the Sago mine in Upshur County killed 12 men on January 2, 2006. The initial methane blast at 6:30 a.m. killed one worker. Twelve men sought refuge from the carbon monoxide fumes, but 11 men were dead by the time rescuers reached them 41 hours later.
What happened Randal McCloy?
When mine rescuers made it to the trapped miners 41 hours later, all but McCloy, who was 26 years old at the time, had died from carbon monoxide asphyxiation.
How many years have they done underground mining in West Virginia?
Deep layers of underground coal are all but gone in West Virginia after 200 years of relentless mining, leaving thinner seams of coal on top of the state’s beautiful mountains. But surface mining carries a huge cost: nothing less than mountains themselves.
Who owned Sago mine?
New York billionaire Wilbur L. Ross Jr. has controlled the company that owns the Sago Mine since at least early 2001, according to court records, corporate disclosures and other publicly available documents.
Do they still mine coal in West Virginia?
Coal remains a backbone of some West Virginia communities. But with a nationwide shift toward renewables underway, many West Virginians are eager to secure a place for the state in America’s clean energy future.
What was the worst mining disaster in the United States?
In West Virginia’s Marion County, an explosion in a network of mines owned by the Fairmont Coal Company in Monongah kills 361 coal miners. It was the worst mining disaster in American history.
What is the average lifespan of a coal miner?
The average life expectancy in the coal mines for those starting work at 15 y was found to be 58.91 y and 49.23 y for surface and underground workers respectively.
Where did the worst coal mining disaster in the United States occur?
The Monongah mining disaster of Monongah, West Virginia occurred on December 6, 1907, and has been described as “the worst mining disaster in American history”.
How much does a salt miner make?
The salaries of Salt Miners in the US range from $24,700 to $51,230 , with a median salary of $35,760 . The middle 60% of Salt Miners makes $35,760, with the top 80% making $51,230.
Which state has the most coal mines?
Wyoming, the largest coal-producing state in the United States, produced 41% of total U.S. coal production and 71% of the coal mined in the Western coal region.