Mining Incidents

Elder Creek Mine: 8 reportable incidents Metal/Non-Metal

Alta Gold Company · Surface
Lander County, NV  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 2602102

MSHA record for Elder Creek Mine (mine ID 2602102). Fatalities, non-fatal incidents grouped by year, current operator and controller, and mine context.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
8
Years on record
1989–1990
Latest incident
Feb 1990
Ownership history
  1. Alta Gold Company 1989 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.

Elder Creek Mine sits in Lander County, Nevada, where the Census mining category is 28.2% 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.
Lander County, Nevada · Population 5,745
28.2%
Mining share of county employment
$84,474
Median household income
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates.
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

8 on file

1990 · 1 incident

February 13, 1990 NV · Metal/Non-Metal greaser, grease man, oiler, lube man, dragline oiler POWERED HAULAGE
Alta Gold Company · Struck against a moving object

THE LUBE CREW WAS DRIVING BACK TO TOWN AT THE END OF THEIR SHIFT WHEN THE TRUCK HIT A PATCH OF ICE AND SLID INTO THE EMBANKMENT. IT IS THE FOREMAN'S FEELING THAT THE DRIVER WAS GOING TOO FAST FOR EXISTING ROAD CONDITIONS.

1989 · 7 incidents

December 22, 1989 NV · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Alta Gold Company · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPL WAS RIDING IN VAN BEING TRANSPORTED TO WORK. DRIVER FAILED TO SEE CLOSED GATE. VAN HIT GATE & ROLLED.

December 22, 1989 NV · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Alta Gold Company · Struck against a moving object

EMPL WAS DRIVING VAN. AS HE APPROACHED GATE HS USUALLLY FOUND TO BE OPEN HE REALIEZED IT WAS CLOSED. AT WHICH TIME HE APPLIED BRAKES CAUSING VAN TO GO INTO BROADSLIDE INTO THE GATE. UPON HITTI NG GATE R-REAR TIRE BLEW & VAN ROLLED ONCE BACK ONTO WHEELS.

November 29, 1989 NV · Metal/Non-Metal welder (shop) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Alta Gold Company · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS PULLING A TRANS COOLER LINE AND WHEN IT STARTED TO COLLAPSE HE RAN AND TRIED TO CATCH THE FRONT GRILL.

November 15, 1989 NV · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer MACHINERY
Alta Gold Company · Struck against a moving object

HE WAS BACKING CAT UP ON ORE PILE HIT A ROCK AND BOUNCED CAT UP.WASN'T WEARING BELT,CONSEQUENTLY JOLTED OPERATOR UP THEN SLAMMED HIM BACK DOWN IN SEAT.

August 1, 1989 NV · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Alta Gold Company · Fall from machine

DRIVER STARTED DOWN SLOPE TO LEACH PAD IN A GEAR SELECTION THAT WAS TOO HIGH FOR THE ROAD. HE PUMPED HIS AIR DOWN AND DID NOT TRY TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE. DRIVER PROCEEDED DOWN THE HILL AND DID NOT TURN INTO BERM. HE STEERED THROUGH A SMALL OPENING AND WENT OVER BANK. DRIVER JUMPED.

July 27, 1989 NV · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Alta Gold Company · Struck against a moving object

DRIVER PULLED TRANSMISSION RETARDER ON, THINKING HE HAD PUT THE TRUCK IN GEAR AND THE TRUCK GAINED SPEED RAPIDLY DOWN RAMP. DUE TO EXCESSIVE SPEED, MACHINE TIPPED ON TWO WHEELS AND ROLLED OVER SAFETY BERM. HE, WEARING SAFETY BELT, WAS UNHURT. CHECKED AT BATTLE MOUNTAIN HOSPITAL -SMALL ABRASIONS.

June 15, 1989 NV · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Alta Gold Company · Fall from machine

DRIVER LEFT MACHINE IN REVERSE TO DUMP - MACHINE BACKED OVER BANK - MACHINE STOPPED - BEFORE MACHINE STOPPED, DRIVER JUMPED - DRIVER OVER-REACTED.