'[1] The MIF was subsequently established in 1890 at a four-day event that was held in Jolimont, Belgium, which was attended by 111 representatives of miners' organizations from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.

[3] From the 1950s, the MIF began to campaign for common international minimum working conditions.

However, with reductions in the number of miners in its heartland of Western Europe, its overall membership began to fall, and was below one million by 1976.

This was opposed by a majority of members, but the NUM nevertheless withdrew, leaving the federation to relocate its headquarters to Brussels and struggle with a shortage of funds.

In 1995, it merged with the International Federation of Chemical and General Workers' Unions to form the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions.