On October 12, 1898, a racialized battle over strikebreaking broke out in the southern Illinois coal mining town of Virden, Illinois. The so-called Battle of Virden demonstrates the ways that employer
This is an excellent story about a serious environmental problem and the ridiculous lack of meaningful corporate oversight in the United States. Mining is incredibly environmentally destructive and mi
I think we all agree that the move toward renewable energy is not just a policy imperative, but a moral one necessary to save the planet. That said, we also have to pay attention to the production of
On April 18, 1912, coal miners along Paint Creek and Cabin Creek in West Virginia went on strike to protest the terrible conditions of their lives. This event served as the beginning of the West Virgi
On April 21, 1545, a man named Juan de Villarroel filed the first mining claim at Potosí, in what is now Bolivia. The silver mine in the mountain known as Cerro Rico would feed the Spanish coffers, f
On January 23, 1890, the United Mine Workers of America formed. One of the most important labor unions in American history, examining the foundation of the UMWA is a window into the position and idea
In the debate over Trump destroying the Utah national monuments, there’s been a lot of discussion over who matters in that state. Were these monuments foisted upon the people of Utah, even thoug
Meet your newly confirmed Mine Safety and Health Administration head David Zatezalo: The coal mining company run by President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the nation’s top mining regulator has alr