Essential Minerals Association celebrates safety excellence

By Kevin Yanik| October 23, 2023

The Essential Minerals Association (EMA), formerly the Industrial Minerals Association–North America, issued its annual Safety Achievement Awards during its Fall Conference & Fly-In in Washington.

Among the companies to receive awards were Sibelco North America and Mississippi Lime Co.

Sibelco, which focuses primarily on silica, clays, feldspathics and olivine, earned a Company Safety Achievement Award in EMA’s Medium Company category. In 2022, the company’s employees worked 290,519 hours without injury.

Mississippi Lime, meanwhile, was recognized as a Mine Safety Achievement Award recipient in EMA’s Small Mine Category for the performance of those at its lime plant in Calera, Alabama. Employees there worked 99,426 hours without a recorded injury.

Other companies to receive Safety Achievement Awards from EMA were IMI Fabi, Imerys and Tata Chemicals North America.

Another safety development

Separately, EMA renewed a 20-year alliance with the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) at its Fall Conference & Fly In.

According to EMA, its partnership with MSHA focuses on fostering a culture of safety and prevention throughout the minerals industry.

“EMA and MSHA have enjoyed a close relationship for 20 years through the MSHA alliance, and I’m proud of our collective efforts to promote safety and health initiatives that are the No. 1 priority for EMA’s members,” Greissing says. “The industry’s work begins and ends with safety, making sure our people get home safely each and every single day. Together with MSHA, we’re working to provide the industry with the information and tools they need to make that happen.”

The EMA-MSHA partnership dates back to 2003, the association says. EMA says the partnership goal is “to use their collective expertise to help foster safer and more healthful working conditions in U.S. mining and processing operations.”