For the third year in a row, the Georgia Mining Association (GMA) gave its President’s Safety Award to BASF sites, including Middle Georgia (kaolin), Hartwell (mica), Attapulgus (catalyst) and Savannah (catalyst).

FLORHAM PARK, NJ – For the third year in a row, the Georgia Mining Association (GMA) gave its President’s Safety Award to BASF sites, including Middle Georgia (kaolin), Hartwell (mica), Attapulgus (catalyst) and Savannah (catalyst). This is the top safety award given by the trade association and takes into consideration all mining companies in the state of Georgia. The award is given to the company in Georgia’s mining industry that has the best overall safety record among companies working in excess of 500,000 man hours annually. The BASF sites receiving this award finished 2009 with a total recordable injury rate of 0.44.

“It is an honor to win this award in a single year. To win the award three years running is quite an accomplishment. We are the only company associated with the Georgia Mining Association that has ever received this award for two consecutive years,” said Keith Brooks, BASF’s Middle Georgia Site Manager. “We have now set the record with three consecutive years. This is something we all can be proud of.”

In addition to taking the top honor for safety, BASF’s Middle Georgia Operations were awarded first place for their land reclamation efforts. Each year, mining companies submit applications with summaries of reclamation efforts they have performed on properties reclaimed after the surface mining of the mineral is complete. A panel of judges reviews each application and awards the honor to the company the judges feel had the best results.