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Mining fatalities rose 21.8 percent from 2020 to 2021
October 20, 2023
The number of fatal injuries in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industry rose from 78 in 2020 to 95 in 2021, a 21.8-percent increase. Fatal injuries in the industry were above 100 in the three years prior to 2020: 112 fatalities in 2017, 130 fatalities in 2018, and 127 fatalities in 2019.
Number of fatal work injuries in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industries, 2017–21
Industry
2017
2018*
2019
2020
2021
Total
112
130
127
78
95
Oil and gas extraction
8
13
22
7
6
Metal ore mining
4
4
4
5
7
Coal mining
17
11
11
8
10
Nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying
10
17
8
19
15
Support activities for mining
73
83
82
39
57
*Two mining fatalities included in the 2018 total were not classified by specific mining industry.
Within the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industry in 2021, the most work-related fatal injuries were in support activities for mining, at 57 fatalities, followed by nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying (15 fatalities), and coal mining (10 fatalities).
The fatal injury rate for the overall mining industry in 2021 was 14.2 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. This was compared to a rate of 3.8 overall in private industry.
Fatal injury rates per 100,000 full-time workers, 2021
Industry
Fatal injury rate
Total, private
3.8
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
14.2
Oil and gas extraction
9.8
Mining (except oil and gas)
17.8
Coal mining
19.6
Metal ore mining
19.2
Nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying
16.3
Support activities for mining
13.4
Within mining, coal mining had 19.6 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, while oil and gas extraction had 9.8 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers in 2021.
United States Department of Labor
