Mining Incidents

Birk 2a: 1 recorded fatality Metal/Non-Metal

Controlled by Covia Holdings LLC
Alexander County, IL  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 1102598

MSHA record for Birk 2a (mine ID 1102598). Fatalities, non-fatal incidents grouped by year, current operator and controller, and mine context.

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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
3
Years on record
1984–1992
Latest incident
Apr 1992
Ownership history
  1. Tammsco Inc 1950 to 1984
  2. Tammsco Inc 1984 to 1986
  3. Unimin Specialty Minerals Inc 1986 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.

Birk 2a sits in Alexander County, Illinois, where the Census mining category is 2.6% of county employment.

Local economic context
County figures come from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey, 5-year pooled estimates, so the 2023 vintage covers 2019 through 2023. The Census category is 'mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction', which is broader than MSHA jurisdiction and includes oil and gas workers no mine employs. These figures describe the surrounding county, not this mine, and are not a factor in any specific incident.
Alexander County, Illinois · Population 5,042
2.6%
Mining share of county employment
$43,523
Median household income
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates.

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
July 21, 1986 IL · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man Fatality · FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Unimin Specialty Minerals Inc · Struck by falling object

EMPLOYEE WAS SC5LING AREA THAT HAD BEEN SHOT ON THE PREVIOUS FRIDAY WHEN AN AREA WITH A CLAY SEAM IN THE RIB & BACK AREA BROKE LOOSE & FELL ON MINER EMPLOYEE IS IN SERIOUS CONDITION WITH INTER NAL INJURIES & 6ROKEN RIBS

Reportable incidents

2 on file (excluding fatalities above)

1992 · 1 incident

April 2, 1992 IL · Metal/Non-Metal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Unimin Specialty Minerals Inc · Accident type, without injuries

SEVERAL PILLARS COLLAPSED IN THE ABANDONED AREA OF THE MINE CAUSING THE ROOF TO FALL TO THE SURFACE. TOTAL AREA INVOLVED IS APPROX. ONE ACRE. VERTICAL CLAY SEAMS CONTAINED IN THE COLLAPSED PIL LARS CAUSED WEAKENED CONDITIONS AND INABILITY TO SUPPORT THE ROOF AND SURFACE. MSHA INSPECTOR HAS BEEN ON SITE FOR INSPECTION OF SURFACE.

1984 · 1 incident

October 24, 1984 IL · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Tammsco Inc · Struck by falling object

LEFT LITTLE FINGER WAS INJURED WHILE HAND SCALING SILICA IN MINE CHUNK BROKE LOOSE AND HIT FINGER