Missouri Announces Winners of the 30th Annual Mine Rescue Contest
Missouri Department of Labor
October 5, 2012
Rolla, Mo -- Miners from around the country traveled to Rolla, Mo., this week to compete in the nation’s longest-running underground mining competition to prove their expertise and put their skills to the test so that they can be prepared in the event that an actual mine incident occurs.
“Mining is an $8 billion industry and employs 30,000 men and women in Missouri. Protecting this industry is important to the well-being of our state—however, the most precious commodity is the miner,” says Director Larry Rebman.
The three-day contest included an underground simulated mine rescue of a live victim, a written exam, and a first aid competition. The winners of the 30th Annual Mine Rescue Contest include the following:
Overall Competition Winners
Doe Run, Viburnum, MO (grey team)
First Aid Winners
- Doe Run, Viburnum, MO (grey team)
- Washington Tru-Solutions, Carlsbad NM (blue team)
- Barrick Cortez, NV
Team Technician Winners
- Henderson Company, Climax Molybdenum (black team)
- Washington Tru-Solutions, Carlsbad NM (red team)
- Washington Tru-Solutions, Carlsbad NM (blue team)
Underground Competition Winners
- Missouri S & T, Rolla, MO (gold team)
- Doe Run, Viburnum, MO (maroon team)
- Washington Tru-Solutions Carlsbad NM (red team)
- Doe Run, Viburnum, MO (grey team)
- Henderson Company, Climax Molybdenum
The event in Rolla is one of several regional mine rescue events spread across the United States. Ashley Nuhn, a student of the Missouri University of Science and Technology’s Mining and Engineering Program, says this is her first year at the competition. “For students, it helps us prepare for what we are going to do in the industry if we are on the mine rescue team when we do get a job. It’s important to have a well-trained rescue team at every mine.”
The contest is sponsored by the Missouri Mine Rescue Association and the Missouri University of Science and Technology. The Missouri Department of Labor’s Mine and Cave Safety Program along with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) constructed the safety course, created the written exam, and judged the competition.
A total of 14 teams competed this year, six of which were from Missouri. The remaining teams were from Colorado, Nevada, Illinois, New Mexico and Kansas. For a second year in a row, Missouri team Doe Run’s (Grey team) took home the gold in the First-Aid Competition for the Rolla contest.
Missouri leads the nation in production of lead and lime, third in zinc, fifth in copper, sixth in silver, and accounts for 3.5 percent of U.S. non-fuel mineral production. Most Missouri lead is used in car batteries, while some is used in computer and television screens to block radiation. Missouri zinc is used to provide a rust-resistant coating on steel and copper is used to make water pipes and electrical wire. Missouri fire clay is made into refractory brick for steel manufacturing and coats NASA launch pads. Missouri lime is used in paper and cement production. Other major products mined in Missouri are barite, cement, clay, copper, fire clay, iron, lead, sand and gravel, crushed stone, zinc, and silver.
The Missouri Mine and Cave Safety program offers free training to Missouri miners and employers in the mining industry. Missouri is known as the mine and cave state as it has 400 active mines on average every year and more than 6,000 caves. The program also enforces Missouri Mining Regulations to ensure the safety of our miners. For more information, visit www.labor.mo.gov/DLS/WorkplaceSafety/minecave/.
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