Scientists at the University of Utah had initially reported the Crandall Canyon event as a 3.9-magnitude earthquake but have said since that the pattern was more consistent with a structural collapse inside the mine.

Computer models that suggest earthquake epicenters are approximate, and mining activity was within the margin of error, said Relu Burlacu, a seismologist at the university. Perhaps even more important, Mr. Burlacu said, a naturally occurring quake would probably have produced two seismic spikes -- an initial one followed by the resulting mine collapse. Only one spike was recorded.

We're also told that this kind of mining, retreat mining, is particularly dangerous.  But Mr. Murray's as adamant on that point as on the "earthquake".  USA Today yesterday:

Also in dispute were the conditions inside the mine at the time. Murray angrily denied that a method called "retreat mining" was taking place at the time.

In that method, pillars of coal are used to hold up an area of the mine's roof. When that area is completely mined, pillars are pulled to get access to useful coal, causing an intentional collapse. Experts say it is one of the most dangerous mining methods.

Today's Salt Lake City Tribune calls that into question, and the whole article's worth a look for its description of the various mining procedures at play in this mine:

Despite Bob Murray's loud denials, his company is on record with the Utah Geological Survey that removing pillar supports has been going on in his Crandall Canyon mine since 2005 - under the former owners as well as under Murray.  Michael Vanden Berg, who writes the annual coal report for the Utah Geological Survey, said Tuesday that when he visited the Crandall Canyon mine in February while preparing the 2007 report, mine operators told him they would be "pulling pillars" with a continuous mining machine in the Hiawatha coal seam for the next few years.

While the report doesn't prove this type of "retreat" mining caused the collapse that trapped six men in Emery County, it does suggest that the company has yet to paint a complete picture of the type of work being done in the mine.  During a contentious news conference Tuesday, Murray insisted the miners had not been removing the coal pillars, a common but hazardous type of retreat mining that occurs as a mine plays out.

Murray seems to have been taking lessons from the Alberto Gonzales school of public relations.

Meanwhile, there's varying reports about the miners themselves.  Rachel Maddow got me thinking about that on Air America yesterday, saying that none of the trapped miners spoke English, and that their families were being sequestered away from the press.  Implied:  They're "illegals", and that's being covered up.  From the Deseret News in Utah:

Meanwhile, Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. flew to Emery County to meet with families of the miners today. They were being kept at an undisclosed location in Huntington, awaiting any new developments.

Robert Murray, the mine company president, says they don't want to be bothered by the press.  That's believable.  New York Times reports 3 Hispanic and 3 "mixed European ancestry" miners.  Deseret News?

The men's identities have not been released, although officials said there were four Hispanic workers and two Caucasian employees of varying ages.

And, according to USA Today:

Only one of the miners has been identified. Mexico's consul in Salt Lake City, Salvador Jimenez, said three of the men are Mexican citizens.
...
Relatives of the miners waited for news at a nearby senior center. Many of the family members don't speak English, so Huntington Mayor Hilary Gordon hugged them, put her hands over her heart and then clasped them together to let them know she was praying for them, she said.

Apparently, if USA Today is to be believed, Jimenez was unsuccessful in efforts to contact the families.  He's not press, and normal diplomatic protocol would dicate that he should have gotten the opportunity to meet with the family members.  Utah's Governor got to see them.  Maybe Rachel Maddow's on to something.  It does seem like there's aspects of this story yet to be brought to light.

Just up from the Los Angeles Times, dated Thursday 8/9:

Some family members began to voice frustration with the slow rescue operation. The company has rented the local junior high school and secluded relatives there. Murray has advised them not to speak to reporters, and sheriff's deputies are guarding the building.

Maria Buenrostro, whose brother Manuel Sanchez is one of the trapped miners, told the Associated Press that Murray got angry with relatives' questions and walked out of a meeting. She added that there was no interpreter provided for three Spanish-speaking families.

"We want the truth; that's all we want," said Buenrostro. "If there's nothing that they can do about it, you know, just tell us so we know what to expect when they bring them out."

From Harper's Index, August 2007 (read on the plane to Chicago):

Number of the forty-seven Mexican consulates in cities across America that have opened since 1980: 42

I'm guessing that Salt Lake City office is one of 'em.  The consulate estimates 160-170,000 Mexican nationals live in Utah.

Before this is over we may - or may not - find some illegal immigration-related issues pulled into this story.  Some people are up in arms about illegals from Mexico over essentially racist reasons.  I'd put Pat Buchanan squarely in that camp, for example.  But there's other workplace issues:  which can be seen pretty clearly in the "guest worker" programs in the Marianas Islands, for example.  (See dengre's DK diaries for more on that.)

Meanwhile, Murray might be worried because the top choice in a recent Pew poll on immigration issues came out with prosecute the employers who hire illegals as the top "action item" for the government.  On top of everything else, he just might become the poster boy for employers hiring "illegals".  Time will tell on that one.  And this story may show that our current situation with a shadowy underclass of "illegal" workers is bad for everyone but the owners.  If this one ends up in jail, I won't lose any sleep over it.