Company chief Robert Murray expressed his frustration with the backwards step in a media briefing, nothing that “seismic and tectonic activity” had “wiped out” underground crews’ movement towards the trapped workers.

“While our efforts have been exhaustive, and have involved everything humanly possible to access these trapped miners, they have been disappointingly too slow, too slow,” Murray said.

The rescue effort at the Utah operation was in its third day Wednesday, and although crews had to be recalled from the mine early after the tremble, vertical and horizontal boreholes (reportedly 2in and 9in in size) promising to allow for communication, food and water delivery were advancing at a rapid pace.

Murray said that finding the group and bringing them out could not be done in less than a week, in part due to the unpredictability of the mine’s geology following the collapse.

Add to that the potential for more movement: the US Geological Survey told national news service CNN Wednesday that at least a dozen smaller tremors have occurred in that central region in Utah since the initial event. They have ranged in intensity from 2.0 magnitude to 2.2.

“I don't know if the seismic activity will begin again," Murray explained. "I don't know how much rubble there is.”

Murray was also mum on speculation regarding the occurrence of an earthquake, as has been continually discussed since Monday.

“It seems to me that the media is more concerned about trying to place blame than they are in the families and in the actual rescue effort underground,” he said.

However, he did comment on the consistent topic of retreat mining, which he maintains was not in use at the time of the cave-in.

“The damage in the mine was totally unrelated to any retreat mining," he said.

Seismic methods were also halted after the morning tremble, but various media have reported that sonar listening devices will be employed. A shotfire process to hopefully be followed by the miners’ pipe banging would be audible using that method as well, officials noted to media outlets.

Murray also outlined the potential for inaccuracy with regards to the placement of the drill being used to advance one of the boreholes, as it was dropped using GPS due to the mine’s remote and mountainous location.

“That can be inaccurate. We may have drilled into a solid block of coal rather than the cavity where the miners are,” he said.

However, if all goes positively, the hole will reach the workers in two days.

“If they continue this pace, that hole will be down to where we want it to be," he said.

As of Wednesday evening Eastern time, no communications have been successful with the workers. Their identities are still unknown with the exception of Manuel Sanchez, 42, whose position at the operation was not disclosed.

The six miners are located under about 1500 feet of overburden at Crandall Canyon, and about 3500 feet from the portal opening. Murray said that the air and water supply underground could last the group “for days” if they indeed survived the impact of the collapse.

Industry Involvement

While Murray is providing the families and public with updates, federal industry regulator the US Mine Safety and Health Administration was actively involved in commentary Wednesday.

The agency made a statement at about 11am Utah time, noting that efforts by rescue crews are continuing in 12-hour shifts around the clock.

“Approximately 39 miners are currently working underground and have repaired all ventilation controls, with all outby stoppings by the 119 cross-cut repaired,” MSHA said.

“The continuous mining machine’s electrical power cable was damaged from bump material and has been repaired [and] ground movement has required rescue efforts inside the mine to slow while additional safety measures are implemented to protect the rescuers.”

The agency said there are 12 mine rescue teams ready and able to progress underground when needed, four of which are waiting onsite for further instruction.

Many MSHA representatives, including agency head Richard Stickler, were on hand to lend support and keep everyone abreast of progress. Stickler told the Associated Press that advancement of the larger borehole was being held up because of alignment problems Wednesday afternoon.

“If you don’t have it aligned properly, you’re going to miss your target,” Stickler said.

While Murray outlined a two-day timeframe as to when one of the boreholes would reach the group, MSHA’s Al Davis said he hoped for the best.

“We’re hoping there’s air down there,” he said. “We have no way of knowing that.”

Crandall Canyon, part of the Genwal complex owned by Murray Energy division Utah American, is in Huntington, Utah, about 150 miles south of Salt Lake City. The 1.1 million ton per annum pillar operation, which is also half owned by Intermountain Power, employs 67 workers, 64 of whom call underground home and work in seven-man miner section crews on 12-hour shifts to keep production going 24/7.