2014 Event A rare, blue, 29.6-carat diamond, one of the most exceptional ever mined at the Cullinan mine, is discovered about 25 miles northeast of Pretoria, South Africa 2013 Event The oldest water ever found is discovered in a Canadian mine; the water dates back 2.6 billion years 2011 Event In China, a fire in a coal mine in Shandong Province leaves at least 36 people trapped underground 2011 Event A German naval mine from World War II is discovered and dismantled by BP; removing the bomb avoided potential closure of 16 oil fields 2010 Event Florencio Avalos, the first of 33 miners trapped underground in the 2010 Copiapo mining accident is rescued from the mine 2010 Event Rescuers in Shanxi, China, enter a flooded mine to help over 153 workers who have been trapped for over a week 1996 Death Magda Schneider, actress (Going Gay, Be Mine Tonight), dies at 87 1994 Event Explosion in lead/zinc mine in Guangxi China, 120+ killed 1994 Event Mine fire at Asansol India, kills 55 1993 Event Methane gas explosion in Secunda coal mine South Africa, kills 50 1992 Event Dynamite explosion in Philipines mine; 500 die 1992 Event Gas explodes in coal mine at Zonguldak Turkey, 100s die 1991 Death Frans Dohmen, union leader (Netherlands Catholic Mine Workers), dies at 81 1990 Death Athene Seyler, actress (Make Mine Mink), dies at 101 1988 Event Last East Limburg coal mine closes in Gent Belgium 1987 Event South Africa longest mine strike in history ends 1987 Death Henk H Badings, mine engineer/composer (Orestes, Kain), dies at 80 1986 Event Fire in Kinross gold mine, Transvaal South Africa, 177 killed 1986 Event 20,000 mine workers protest closing of Hasselt Belgium mines 1986 Event Impala Platinum fires 20,000 black mine workers in Johannesburg 1985 Event National Union of Mine Workers in England end a 51 week strike 1984 Event Fire at Wilberg Mine in central Utah killed 27 people 1984 Event National Union of Mine Workers in England begin a 51 week strike 1982 Event Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson release "Girl is Mine" 1980 Death Hattie Jacques, actress (Make Mine Mink), dies at 56 1980 Event Elevator in Vaal Reef South Africa gold mine crash 1900m down (23 die) 1979 Birthday Brandy Norwood, born in McComb, Mississippi, known as 'Brandy', singer, songwriter, appeared in film, 'Cinderella', Grammy-Award winning song, 'The Boy is Mine' 1974 Event British mine strike 1974 Event England begins 3 day work week during mine strike 1972 Event Explosion at world's largest coal mine kills 427 (Wankie Rhodesia) 1972 Event Electrical fire in Sunshine Silver mine. 126 die (Kellogg Idaho) 1970 Event 23,000 Belgian mine workers strike 1970 Death Joseph A. Yablonski, candidate for United Mine Workers president, murdered 1968 Death Doretta Morrow, actress (Because You're Mine), dies at 41 1966 Event Belgian state police kills 2 striking mine workers 1965 Event Belgian government shuts 6 coal mine 1965 Event Dutch government shuts Limburgs coal mine 1965 Death Rita Johnson, actress (All Mine to Give), dies at 53 1965 Event coal mine explosion in Fukuoka Japan kills 236 1965 Event Fire and explosion at Dhori mine in Dhanbad India kills 400 1963 Birthday Darren "Dizzy" Reed, U.S. musician, Guns n' Roses-Sweet Girl of Mine 1963 Event 200,000 French mine workers strike 1962 Event Gas explosion in Luisanthal coal mine Voelklingen Germany kills 298 1961 Death Pieter Tesch, mine engineer/geology (Pedestal of Netherlands), dies 1961 Event Mine cave-in in Japan, kills 72 1960 Birthday Eric Shea, born in Los Angeles County, California, actor, appeared on television episodes and in films 'Yours, Mine and Ours' 1968, film 'The Poseidon Adventure' 1972 1960 Event Coal mine of Johnburg caves-in, 417 die 1956 Birthday Helen Terry, rocker, Now You're Mine 1956 Event Mine disaster in Quaregnon Belgium, 8 die 1955 Event Soviet battleship "Novorossiisk" strikes WW II mine in Baltic Sea 1953 Event Coal mine in Seraing Belgium explodes, 26 die 1953 Event Gas explosion in Belgium coal mine kills 14 1952 Birthday M Cyril Ramaphosa, Secretary-General of South African Mine Workers' Union 1952 Event 2 mine cave-ins at Charleroi, Belgium 1950 Event Belgium mine disaster at Borinage, 39 die 1949 Event Uranium mine explosions in East Germany kills 3,700 1949 Event "Make Mine Manhattan" closes at Broadhurst Theater New York City after 429 performances 1948 Event SS Kiangya hits mine in Whangpoo River China, sinks killing 2,750 die 1947 Event United Mine Workers union withdrew from AFL 1947 Event Naval torpedo and mine factory explodes at Cadiz, Spain killing 300 1947 Event Coal dust explosion rocks Centralia Coal Co's Mine #5 killing 111 1947 Event Coal mine explosion in Centralia, Illinois, claims 111 1947 Event Greek steamer "Himara" strikes a wartime mine in Saronic Gulf south of Athens with loss of 392 of 637 aboard 1946 Event 400,000 U.S. mine workers strike 1946 Event United Mine Workers union rejoins American Federation of Labor 1945 Event British 36th division conquers Mogok (ruby mine) 1945 Event "Make Mine Manhattan" opens at Broadhurst Theater New York City for 429 performances 1944 Event Terence Rattigans "O Mistress Mine," premieres in London 1944 Event Dutch General Mine Workers Union (ABWM) forms 1942 Event Coal mine explosion kills 1,549 at Honkeiko Manchuria 1941 Event U.S. troops land on Suriname to protect bauxite mine 1941 Event 1st Navy vessel constructed as mine layer Terror launched 1941 Birthday Wolfgang Petersen, born in Emden, Germany, actor, Shattered, Enemy Mine 1939 Event Mine strikes in Borinage Brussels 1939 Event Netherlands KNSM passenger ship Simon Bolivar hits German mine, 86 die 1932 Event 24 killed at Lancashire mine explosion 1932 Event "Make Mine Music," debuts 1932 Event Mine strikes at Belgian Borinage ended 1932 Event 38 die in coal mine explosion Boissevain, Virginia, USA 1931 Event Gas explosion Fire in Fushun-coal mine, Manchuria kills 3,000 1928 Event "Firedamp" explodes in Mather Pennsylvania coal mine killing 195 of 273 miners 1928 Event Explosion in coal mine in Mather, Pennsylvania, 195 die 1927 Birthday Doretta Morrow, New York City, actress, Because You're Mine 1926 Event British mine strikes after 28 weeks ends 1926 Event British general strike ends, but mine workers go on strike 1924 Event 119 die in Benwood West Virginia coal mine disaster 1924 Event Coal mine explosion kills 171 at Castle Gate Utah 1923 Event Belgium's Theunis government falls because of mine, post and railroad strike 1923 Event Mine strike at Belgian Borinage railroad 1923 Event Coal mine explosion at Dawson, New Mexico kills 120 1923 Event General mine strike against wage cuts in Saar 1922 Event State of siege proclaimed during mine strike Johannesburg, South Africa 1921 Birthday Syd Vincent, British mine workers leader 1921 Event Black Friday- Labour Party strike of mine workers fails 1920 Death Andre Dumont, Belgian mine engineer (Limburgs coal basin), dies at 73 1919 Birthday Dulcie Gray, Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, actress, Mine Own Executioner 1917 Event Limburgse mine workers strike 1914 Event British battleship Audacious sunk by mine 1914 Event 181 die in coal mine collapse at Eccles, West Virginia 1914 Event 33 killed by soldiers during mine strike in Ludlow, Colorado 1913 Event Explosion at Dawson New Mexico coal mine kills 263 mine workers 1913 Event Explosion in coal mine at Cardiff kills 439 1913 Event Explosion and fire in Universal Coal Mine, South Wales 1913 Event Coal mine explosion kills 263 at Dawson New Mexico 1912 Birthday Rita Johnson, Worcester Massachusetts, actress, Honolulu, All Mine to Give 1912 Death J-Henri Poincare, French mine engineer/mathematician, dies at 58 1912 Event Army fires on striking mine workers at Lena-gold fields Siberia 1910 Birthday David Lichine, Lichtenstein, Russian/US dancer, Make Mine Music 1910 Event Explosion in coal mine in Hulton England, 344 mine workers dies 1909 Event 259 miners die in a fire at St. Paul Mine at Cherry Ill 1909 Birthday Magda Schneider, actress, Eva, Going Gay, Be Mine Tonight 1908 Event 154 men die in coal mine explosion at Marianna Pa 1907 Event Explosion at Yolande Alabama, coal mine kills 91 1907 Event 239 workers died in a coal mine explosion in Jacobs Creek, Penn 1907 Event Gas explosion at Jacobs Creek Pa, coal mine kills 239 1907 Event Coal mine explosions in Monongah, WV, kills 361 1907 Event Indian Mine Laws passes (concessions from Netherlands-Indies) 1907 Death Marcel Bertrand, French mine engineer, dies at 59 1905 Event Swedish mine workers win 5 month strike for minimum wages 1904 Birthday W A "Tony" Boyle, United Mine Workers president 1904 Event 179 die in coal mine explosion at Cheswick, Pennsylvania 1902 Event Mine accident in Wollongong, Australia, 100 die 1902 Event Dutch State Mine law forms 1900 Event Premature blast collapses mine tunnel killing 200 at Scofield, Utah 1900 Death George Labram, U.S. mine engineer in South Africa, dies in battle 1899 Event 7000 lay-offs black mine workers of South Africa reach Natal 1897 Event Police shoot at striking mine workers in Penns, kills 20 1894 Event 136,000 mine workers strike in Ohio for pay increase 1892 Event Mine explosion kills 100, Krebs, Okla-blacks trying to help rescue white survivors, driven away with guns 1891 Event Mine explosion kills 109 at Mount Pleasant Pennsylvania 1890 Birthday Claire Whitney, New York, silent film actress, Blind Fools, Haunted Mine 1890 Event United Mine Workers of America forms 1889 Birthday Athene Seyler, London, actress, Make Mine Mink 1880 Birthday John L. Lewis, union leader, United Mine Workers, 1920-60 1869 Event Mine fire kills 179 at Avondale Pennsylvania 1864 Event Battle of Marais Des Cygnes River, Kansas (Mine Creek) 1864 Event Skirmish at Mine Creek, KS and Turkeytown, AL 1856 Birthday Henry Rider Haggard, author, King Solomon's Mine, She, Dawn 1847 Birthday Andre Dumont, Belgian mine engineer, Limburg's coal basin 1847 Birthday Marcel Bertrand, French mine engineer, tectonic geology 1798 Birthday JBAL Leonce Elie de Beaumont, French mine engineer/geologist 1771 Event Samuel Hearne explores Copper Mine River of Canada 1755 Event 1st steam engine in America installed, to pump water from a mine
