Miners’ Day is a holiday observed annually on December 6th that recognizes the miners who put in hard work and dedication to retrieve the minerals from the Earth that the United States needs. Miners perform an important job supplying world industries with the materials they need for homes, roads, cars, electronics, and about a million other uses.

This holiday encourages everyone to give thanks to any miners they know or to learn more about the history of mining. Of course, people can also celebrate this holiday by watching one of the many movies that are about miners or feature mining prominently.

The History of National Miners’ Day

Miners’ Day was created in 2009 by an act of Congress to give thanks and honor the miners who work every day to get the materials that the world needs. This holiday was placed on the anniversary of one of the worst mining incidents in the U.S. This mining incident occurred on December 6, 1907, in Monongah, West Virginia, and resulted in over 360 miners being killed.

Some Fun Facts About Mining

Let’s dig into some fun facts about mining, shall we? The following facts are just some of the ones we think everyone should know before they head out on December 6th to celebrate Miners’ Day.

• Copper and gold were the first metals to be mined by humans.
• Approximately 40,000 pounds of minerals per American per year are used.
• Every American uses approximately 3.4 tons of coal every year.

Observing National Miners’ Day

This holiday can be observed in several different ways. People can visit one of the many mining museums that exist in the U.S., including the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum in Leadville, Colorado; Missouri Mines State Historic Site in Park Hills, Missouri; or the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum in Benham, Kentucky.

People can also learn more about mining, thank a miner they know for all they do, or simply spread the word about this holiday using #MinersDay on social media.