The Salt Lake Tribune and the Mine Safety and Health News are reporting that families of victims in the August 2007 Crandall Canyon mine collapse have reached a settlement with the companies that owned and operated the mine and related insurance companies. The settlement involves three civil suits representing 16 groups of plaintiffs and includes seven defendants.

According to the Tribune, the civil settlement does not affect the criminal investigation being conducted by the U.S. Attorney for Utah, Brett Tolman. That investigation continues. The companies are still contesting more than $1.5 million in civil penalties proposed by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) for violations at the mine, according to Mine Safety and Health News.

The settlement is reportedly the largest in Utah mining history but terms of the settlement remain confidential. The largest prior mine settlement was in 1984 for more than $22 million. Attorneys for the two sides had been in mediated talks for more than a year trying to reach a settlement without going to litigation.

Six miners were killed in the initial collapse and just days later three rescuers were killed when another section of the mine collapsed. Litigation would have been long and costly because reports about the accident have assigned responsibility for the failure to various parties including MSHA for approving faulty mine safety plans.