U.S. Silver challenges report on mine death

WALLACE - A report released by the U.S. Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) following an investigation into the June 18 fatality at the Galena Mine has been challenged by U.S. Silver Corp. due to what they believe to be critical factual errors.

At 8:09 a.m. on June 18, a ground fall took place at the 3400-287 raise of the Galena mine, fatally injuring United Mine Services contract miner Tim Bush.

The MSHA blamed inadequate management, policies, procedures and controls. The report also states the scaling bar provided to the miner was not of the proper length to ensure that the location they scaled from did not expose them to falling material.

U.S. Silver Corp., argued that multiple factual errors led the MSHA investigation to the wrong conclusion.

MSHA determined that a six-foot scaling bar was found beneath Bush and a 10-foot scaling bar sat leaning against a wall on the west side of the stope. The report continues to say that management policies, procedures and controls failed to ensure that the miner used a scaling bar of a safe length.

U.S. Silver Corp. replied that the 10-foot bar had been moved from near Bush during rescue efforts. They also noted that other scaling tools were available in and at the bottom of the raise.