Fines for fatal mining accident less than predicted

Jessica Robinson — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 00:01:08 +0000

The federal government is fining a north Idaho mining company $360,000 for unsafe practices that killed a miner last year. That’s about a third of the penalties that were expected.

Last year federal inspectors said the Hecla Mining Company engaged in “aggravated conduct” when it allowed miners to extract silver ore from a mass of unstable rock.

Poor mining practices, inadequate oversight preceded miner's death

Jessica Robinson — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:03:46 +0000

COEUR d’ALENE, Idaho – It's been five months since a rockfall at the Lucky Friday Mine in north Idaho killed veteran miner Larry Marek. Much about the accident is still unknown. But public records going back several years suggest the federal agency that oversees mines did not adequately ensure the safety of workers at the Lucky Friday.

A 2008 report on another collapse there went missing. And since Larry Marek’s death, inspectors have found a dramatically higher number of safety violations.

Mining death

Fines for fatal mining accident less than predicted

Poor mining practices, inadequate oversight preceded miner's death