FACTBOX-Safety concerns in U.S. coal mining

Sept 25 (Reuters) - U.S. Congress, mining companies and
federal regulators are struggling to make America's coal mines
safer after a string of industry incidents that started in 2006,
the deadliest year for coal mining in a decade.

From 1997 to 2006, an average of nearly 33 coal miners died
annually in accidents. So far this year, 24 miners have died.

Fewer annual accidents happen now than during the first
half of the last century when coal fueled America's great
industrial growth, and it was common for accidents to kill more
than 100 miners. The industry employs far fewer workers now.

Here is a list of fatalities by calendar year, followed by
recent events in U.S. coal mine safety:
Year 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998
Deaths 24 47 22 28 30 27 42 38 35 29

2007

--Aug. 6: Six miners were killed after being trapped
underground at the Crandall Canyon Mine in Utah during a
collapse of such force geologists investigated whether it
accounted for an earthquake registered at the same time. Three
rescuers also died. Private company Murray Energy owns the mine
operator. The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration said
the mine was engaged in "retreat mining" in which pillars of
coal supporting the roof are mined allowing the shaft to
collapse.

2006

--Jan. 2: An underground explosion killed 12 miners
International Coal Group's (ICO.N) Sago mine in West Virginia
after an underground explosion. A fire at one of Massey
Energy's MME.N West Virginia mines less than three weeks
later killed two other miners.

--May 20: An underground explosion killed five miners at
Kentucky Darby LLC mine.

--Summer: Prompted by Sago, Congress passed the Miner Act
of 2006 and President George W. Bush signed it into law. It was
the first major revision to U.S. mine safety laws since 1977.
It requires mines to:

-Provide more emergency supplies of breathable air along
escape routes

-Make available two rescue teams capable of a one-hour
response time

-Provide wireless two-way communications and electronic
tracking systems for miners within three years.

-It also gave the government the authority to shut down
mines in cases where the operator has refused to pay a final
safety fines.

2001

--Sept. 23: 13 miners were killed at a Jim Walters
Resources mine in Alabama after an explosion.

1972

--Feb 2: 125 miners were killed after a dam broke at
Buffalo Mining Co. in Saunders, West Virginia, the last U.S.
coal mine accident with more than 100 deaths.

Sources: Mine Safety and Health Administration and the
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health