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Updated: 10:19 AM- The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has fined a Murray Energy Corp. subsidiary $420,300 for "flagrant violations" of safety laws by repeatedly violating the same safety standard at its Aberdeen mine in Carbon County.

The fines were based on citations issued Oct. 26, 2006, and June 20, 2007, in the mine, which Murray Energy now calls Tower. Murray Energy acquired it and three other Utah coal mines (Crandall Canyon, South Crandall Canyon and West Ridge) in early August 2006 from Andalex Resources, Inc.

The citations allege that the company allowed several problems to persist that could have fueled a mine fire. There were excessive accumulations of hydraulic oil, fine coal particles covered electric equipment and excessive amounts of potentially explosive coal dust were allowed to accumulate on conveyor belts.

MSHA defines a flagrant violation as "a reckless or repeated failure to make reasonable efforts to eliminate a known violation of a mandatory safety and health standard that substantially and proximately caused, or reasonably could have been expected to cause, death or serious bodily injury."

Agency spokesman Matthew Faraci said the citations were issued during regular quarterly mine inspections. MSHA assessed the maximum $220,000 for the Oct. 26 citation and $200,300 for the one on June 20.

"Mine operators that repeatedly violate mine safety standards must be held accountable for their actions," said MSHA director Richard Stickler.

Company officials did not respond to a request for comment this morning.