NMA presents Sentinels of Safety Awards at MINExpo

Forty U.S. mining operations – 12 coal mines and 28 mineral/metal mines – were honored with Sentinels of Safety Awards at MINExpo International 2021 by the National Mining Association (NMA).

The recognition was based on the mines’ performance in 2019 and 2020.

Initiated in 1925 by then commerce secretary Herbert Hoover, a former mining engineer, the Sentinels of Safety Award program remains the nation’s most prestigious recognition of mine safety, NMA says.

“We are pleased to be able to come together once again in-person to celebrate these great accomplishments in safety,” says Rich Nolan, NMA president and CEO. “The Sentinels of Safety Awards acknowledge outstanding achievements in safety and, if ever there were a time to do so, it is now. When the pandemic hit, many industries shut down or stayed home.

“But the demand for mined minerals for virtually every global supply chain never stopped, and our nation’s miners remained focused on delivering for every American,” Nolan adds. “The industry has come together to double-down on our safety efforts, learn about and discuss best practices with each other and keep our miners as safe as possible throughout this pandemic.”

Recipients were broken into four categories – large group and small group operation winners for both 2020 and 2019. Winners were then classified by type of mining operation.

Among the award recipients were:

• Upper Valley Materials’ Tabasco Pit in Penitas, Texas (2020 Large Bank or Pit)
• Titan Florida’s Pennsuco Quarry in Medley, Florida (2020 Large Quarry)
• Lavette Development’s Odessa Sand, Stone & Gravel in Ithaca, New York (2020 Small Bank or Pit)
• VCNA Prairie’s Yard 99 – Ashkum Quarry in Ashkum, Illinois (2020 Small Quarry)
• Vista Proppants & Logistics’ Vista Sand in Granbury, Texas (2019 Large Bank or Pit)
• Tower Rock Stone Co.’s Tower Rock Stone in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri (2019 Large Quarry)
• Heritage Aggregate’s U.S. Aggregates – Swisher Plant in Indianapolis (2019 Small Bank or Pit)
• Kinkaid Stone Co. in Ava, Illinois