Details of the nine U.S. coal mining deaths that have occurred in 2016. If the number holds up, it would be the lowest ever.

Continue Reading Below

WEST VIRGINIA

— Jan. 4: Peter D. Sprouse, 53, died after becoming entangled in an underground conveyor belt in the Lower War Eagle Mine.

— May 16: Eric Meddings, 50, was found unconscious in the seat of his locomotive in the ACI Tygart Valley Leer Mine. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

— July 29: Donald E. Workman, 58, died from a methane-ignited blast while welding at the Spartan's Road Fork #51 Mine.

— Sept. 23: Matthew B. Davis, 46, died in a vehicle crash at the Marfork Coal's Slip Ridge Cedar Grove Mine.

Continue Reading Below

KENTUCKY

— Jan. 19: A continuous mining machine pinned 36-year-old Nathan G. Phillips against a wall at the Dotiki Mine.

— March 25: Mark Frazier, 48, was killed when a wall collapsed underground at the Lone Creek Mine.

PENNSYLVANIA

— Jan. 16: Jeremy R. Neice, 31, died in a wall collapse while operating a continuous mining machine. He worked at Dana Mining Company's West Mine.

ILLINOIS

— June 6: Robbie E. Clark, died when a diesel front-end loader fell on him at the American Coal Company New Era Mine.

ALABAMA

— Dec. 2: Yujun Qian, 36, died during the installation of a longwall mining shield at the Oak Grove Mine.