Sago or shortly after the inflorescence appears. The stems, which grow 10 to 15 metres high), are split out. The starch-containing pith is taken from the stems and ground to powder. The powder is kneaded in water over a cloth or sieve to release the starch. The water with the starch passes into a trough where the starch settles. After a few washings, the starch is ready to be used in cooking. A single palm yields about 800 pounds (360 kilograms) of dry starch. The sago palm, "Metroxylon sagu", is found in tropical lowland forest and freshwater swamps across Southeast Asia
Sago Mine disaster that were the result of high negligence and MSHA ordered that mining cease in the affected area until the unsafe condition was addressed. However, fewer than half of the overall citations against Sago Mine in 2005 were for "significant and substantial" violations—and all but eight of the overall citations have been corrected by the operator. The eight remaining issues were being abated by the operator in compliance with the abatement provisions of the Mine Act. "Mining operations at the Sago Mine more than doubled between 2004 and 2005, and the injury rate was significantly above the national average. This prompted