History of the Mining Games
On the 2nd of May 1972 an underground fire broke out in the Sunshine Mine, near Kellogg, Idaho USA. 173 miners were working in the mine when Carbon monoxide, heat, and smoke spread quickly through the tunnels. 91 men died of carbon monoxide poisoning, making it the largest mine disaster in the last century.
The Competition
In 1978, the International Collegiate Mining Competition was started to honour and commemorate the men and families who tragically perished in the Sunshine disaster but also to all of those who have lost their lives in mining. The competition consists of seven events involving traditional mining techniques: Air Legging, Mucking, Hand Steeling, Swede Saw, Survey, Gold Pan and Track Stand. The competition sees Mining Universities from all over the world including USA, UK, Europe, Brazil and Australia to represent their university to not only compete but to learn the ways of mining, network with each other, build a competitive environment and team work on a global scale, in the largest competition of its kind.
