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• Lawsuit challenges coal mine approvals in 4 states

  February 28, 2013 3:29 PM

  BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - An environmental group has filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to overturn government approvals for seven coal mines in four states. Jeremy Nichols with WildEarth Guardians in Denver said Thursday that the Department of Interior's approvals were illegal because no public notice was given. At... more »

• Feds OK rules they say will improve mine safety

  January 17, 2013 2:00 PM

  MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) - The U.S. Labor Department says it has approved new federal rules that could help save lives at dangerous mines with a pattern of safety violations. The agency says the rules approved Thursday also put more responsibility on companies to find and fix hazards. The changes were... more »

• May Day mine gets conditional approval

  October 27, 2011 11:26 AM

  HESPERUS, Colo. (AP) - The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety is recommending a conditional permit to operate the May Day gold and silver mine that is drawing flak from opponents. La Plata County Commissioner Wally White called the state officials' recommendation Tuesday a big mistake. According to the... more »

• Search continues for missing Idaho miner

  April 17, 2011 3:54 PM

  MULLAN, Idaho (AP) - Mining company officials in northern Idaho have brought in a remote-controlled digging machine to help search for a missing worker. Officials have not had contact with 53-year-old Larry Marek, who's a mile below the surface, since a tunnel collapsed deep inside the Lucky Friday Mine on... more »

• Panel hears appeal of mine plan near Crested Butte

  January 12, 2011 8:03 AM

  DENVER (AP) - A group challenging a plan to start mining molybdenum near Crested Butte is making its case to the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board. Wyoming-based U.S. Energy Corp., working with Thompson Creek Metals Co., won approval last year of a revised plan to build a mine tunnel... more »

• State pushes for mine clean up near Crested Butte

  January 10, 2011 1:15 PM

  A mine near Crested Buttte has been found to be in violation of state standards for heavy meals in water. U.S. Energy Corp has been told to address the problems at the Mount Emmons molybdenum mine located three miles west of Crested Butte. The Colorado Mined Land Reclamation... more »

• Tainted water found near Colorado mine

  January 9, 2011 10:57 AM

  Water near a western Colorado mine has been found to be contaminated. The Denver Post reports that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has ordered U.S. Energy Corp. to clean up contamination at the Mount Emmons mine near Crested Butte. State health inspectors found cadmium, aluminum, zinc... more »

• Better viewing of Colorado's largest bat population

  November 22, 2010 3:40 PM

  It's now easier to view Colorado's largest colony of bats in the San Luis Valley. The first agreement is a conservation easement that will protect 350 acres of wild mountain lands from future development. Included is the former Orient iron ore mine, the summer roosting site for an estimated... more »

• Chile mine driller from Colorado

  October 13, 2010 12:28 PM

  The man who operated the drills to reach the trapped miners in Chile is a contractor from Colorado. Jeff Hart was drilling water wells for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan when he got the call to fly to help in the mine rescue. He spent the next 33 days... more »

• Four mine supervisors face charges

  July 1, 2010 4:35 PM

  CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Federal prosecutors say four Massey Energy Co. supervisors have been charged with crimes stemming from a fatal fire at a West Virginia mine in 2006. Booth Goodwin, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, says the men are accused of failing to conduct... more »

• Civilian arrested at Army base had a land mine in his vehicle

  June 16, 2010 1:26 PM

  Prosecutors say a civilian who was arrested in uniform on an Army base in Georgia had a land mine in his vehicle along with several grenades, night vision devices and a military laser targeting device. The federal prosecutors also say in a criminal complaint that Anthony Saxon falsely pretended... more »

• Surprise inspections must remain a surprise

  May 28, 2010 2:33 PM

  A federal judge has ordered a Kentucky mining company to stop alerting miners to surprise inspections by federal regulators. U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove in London, Ky., issued the order Friday barring Manalapan Mining Co. from warning underground miners that inspectors are on site. The tips are a... more »

• Justice Dept. confirms criminal probe of mine explosion

  May 14, 2010 5:21 PM

  The Justice Department is investigating whether there was "willful criminal activity" by the company that operates the West Virginia mine where 29 workers died in an accident last month. The U.S. attorney's office for the Southern District of West Virginia says in a letter that investigators are looking into the... more »

• State reviewing plan for closed Colorado uranium mine

  April 29, 2010 8:18 AM

  State regulators are reviewing a plan by Cotter Corp. to address high levels of uranium in groundwater at its closed mine near Golden. Cotter's Schwartzwalder mine is on Ralston Creek above Denver Water's Ralston Reservoir in Jefferson County. The reservoir is a drinking water supply for Denver Water, the... more »

• Dogs rescued from Teller County mine

  April 15, 2010 12:53 PM

  Three dogs trapped in a mine in Teller County are now free. The dogs were able to leave the mine on their own and were captured by the Teller County Animal Control. According to a statement released Thursday, the dogs were in good shape. They were returned to their owner,... more »

• Lawmakers want public input into uranium mine

  December 1, 2009 7:38 AM

  Two members of the state's congressional delegation are urging federal officials to involve the public as they consider any permits for a proposed uranium mine in northern Colorado. U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Betsy Markey have sent a letter to the regional office of the Environmental Protection Agency saying... more »

• Rockslides at the mine scar

  September 13, 2009 9:59 PM

  Last December the Pike View Quarry had a major rockslide that shut down operations at the enormous mine. Sunday evening, another rockslide created havoc on the mountain. "Apparently with all of the rain we've had, mother nature isn't done yet." says Mac Shafer with Transit Mix Aggregates. The heavy... more »

• EPA identifies 79 coal mine permits for review

  September 11, 2009 12:46 PM

  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified 79 coal mine permit applications in four Appalachian states for additional scrutiny. The agency said Friday it wants to make certain the proposed surface mines won't cause water pollution and violate the Clean Water Act. The mines are in West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio... more »