5 Horrifying Mine Accidents | Mine Disasters

Since the beginning of civilization, humans have used mining to access a variety of minerals from the surface of the Earth. In fact, studies have shown that we used to mine flint pebbles from the ground in France and Britain as far ago as the New stone age. Evidence also shows that the Ancient Egyptians also mined copper as far back as 3000 BCE. Large scale coal mining began during the industrial revolution and remains an important energy source to this day. It is however incredibly dangerous and brings with it an enormous amount of political and social issues. Over the year’s technological improvements and much stricter safety rules have dramatically reduced coal mining incident, however, deaths and accidents attributed to mining are all too common. In fact, China which produces more than one third of the world’s annual output of coal accounts for more than two thirds of global mining deaths. With that said, China is the perfect place to start with our five most horrifying mine accidents.

The Ben-x-i-hu colliery disaster in China cost a total of 1,549 lives and it is believed to be the worst coal mining disaster in history. The tragedy occurred on 26th April 1942 in the Hon-kei-ko coal mine, located near Benxi in the Liaoning province of China.

The Courrieres mine disaster in France caused the death of 1,099 people and is thought to be the second deadliest coal mining disaster in human history.

Up there with the Aberfan disaster of 1966, the effects of the Senghenydd colliery disaster of 1913 can still be felt in South Wales, UK, today. It was in fact the worst ever mining tragedy in the United Kingdom and was certainly a lesson for all. The event took place at the Universal Colliery in Senghenydd near Caerphilly on the 14th October 1913.

The Mitsui Miike coal mine explosion on 9 November 1963, was the second deadliest coal mining disaster ever recorded in Japan after the Mitsubishi Hojyo Coal Mine Disaster of 1914.

The fateful Wankie Colliery Disaster in Rhodesia, now named Zimbabwe, killed 426 people. The disaster occurred on 6 June 1972 within the number 2 mine shaft of the Wankie Colliery.

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