Safety & compliance Regulation United States
MSHA rules for surface mining contractors
A contractor at a US mine is an operator under MSHA: it can be cited, needs a contractor ID for most site work, and trains under Part 46 or Part 48.
The United States edition covers what differs for surface mining contractors in the United States: MSHA rules under 30 CFR, federal fuel price data and figures in short tons, gallons and US dollars. It lists our United States pieces first, then the explainers that apply on any surface mine.
Fuel & diesel Regulation United States
Off-highway diesel tax credit for US mining
Undyed diesel burned off-highway on a mine earns back $0.243 a gallon of federal excise tax on Form 4136 or Form 8849. What qualifies and how to claim.
Fuel & diesel Diesel price United States
US diesel price for mining contractors: September 2026
US on-highway diesel averaged $6.529 a gallon in the week of 21 Sep 2026 (EIA), up $0.877 in four weeks, a series high. Regional prices and cost per ton.
Diesel price this month
$/gal retail, on-highway · As at 21 Sep 2026
- US average $6.529/gal up 0.244 on the previous figure
- Midwest (PADD 2) $6.680/gal up 0.430 on the previous figure
- Gulf Coast (PADD 3) $6.177/gal up 0.150 on the previous figure
- Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) $6.340/gal up 0.274 on the previous figure
- West Coast (PADD 5) $7.456/gal up 0.206 on the previous figure
Formulas, definitions and methods that work the same on any surface mine, grouped by section.
Load, haul and blast
- Bench in open pit mining: height, parts and blasting Glossary
- Berm: the safety bank along a haul road Glossary
- Burden in blasting: the distance to the free face Glossary
- Grade resistance: what a ramp costs a haul truck Glossary
- Match factor: sizing trucks to loaders Glossary
- Rolling resistance on haul roads, with a worked example Glossary
- Spacing in blasting: the distance between holes in a row Glossary
- Stemming in blasting: length, material and why it matters Glossary
- TKPH explained: tyres, heat and haul speed Glossary
- Tonne-kilometre: measuring haulage work Glossary
- Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) Federal mine safety and health rules (30 CFR) and inspections
- US Energy Information Administration (EIA) Weekly retail diesel prices and energy statistics
- USGS National Minerals Information Center Mineral commodity summaries and yearbooks
Official sites, listed for reference. Pay Dirt is not connected with any of them.