American miners favor bonus plans

A recent survey shows a steady growth in the use of incentive schemes by miners in the U.S. Of the 156 mines surveyed, 42% reported that they have a bonus plan in place, compared with 35% last year, 23% in 1988 and 20% in 1987. Bonus plans have been adopted by 58% of the metal mines in the survey, 33% of the coal mines and 25% of the industrial mineral mines.

Production, safety, cost savings, idea generation, profit and length of service are some of the factors that determine the size of bonuses.

This survey was conducted by Mining Cost Service, a division of Western Mine Engineering, in Spokane, Wash.