Mining Incidents

U.S. Vanadium - Benton, LLCMetal/Nonmetal

Bryant, Saline County, AR · Active
MSHA Mine ID: 0300261
Fatalities
0
Total incidents
33
Years on record
2003–2025
Latest incident
Jun 2025
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

33 on file

2025 · 1 incident

Fall to the walkway or working surface

Bent over to pick up a folded up 4 ft ladder and when they bent over they fell forward and caught themselves with left arm and strained or tore a tendon near bicep/shoulder area.

2024 · 5 incidents

Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Employee was emptying a hopper containing hot material and opened the clam shell under the hopper the wrong way and hot material fell on top of EE's right foot resulting in the burn. The employee was wearing safety steel toes but they were low top.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was using a utility knife to cut a piece of conveyer belt. The knife slipped and punctured a 1/4 inch cut into EE's left forearm requiring 2 stitches.

Struck by flying object

Baghouse pulsed air which blew dust into right eye when worker looked into an inspection port door to see why screw wasn't working correctly.

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was using a wheelbarrow with a reasonable load but it was on a slight slope and it gained momentum and they were holding onto the handle as it rolled into an outer equipment guard. Employee was wearing leather gloves but, the weight/momentum combined with hitting that metal guard cover caused two fingernails on left hand to be removed after it was smashed in between.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was closing a diverter and put EE's foot up on a ledge/lip to use leverage and the boot tip stuck as EE put EE's strength into closing the diverter and the torque caused a pop in the right knee. EE doesn't know yet if there is any damage to the cartilage.

2023 · 1 incident

Fall to the walkway or working surface

EE walked out of EE's control room and the toe of EE's boot caught the grating which made EE fall down to EE's knee which caused a cut to EE's knee requiring stitches.

2022 · 3 incidents

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was cutting a hose with a knife and it slipped resulting in EE cutting their front right thigh. 3 stitches were required.

Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

Was pulling bags off of cages in the baghouse and they were full of material and when EE torqued with EE's arms to pull bag off the shoulder popped out of socket. It did not appear to be a full separation. The pain was tolerable and I could feel a slight separation in EE's ligaments on EE's right shoulder.

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

EE was removing the guard on the bearing housing near the heat shield and smashed the finger between the heat shield and the guard.

2015 · 1 incident

Struck against stationary object

Employee was turning a bolt with a fixed point (standard) wrench to tighten it. The wrench slipped unexpectedly off the bolt and the employee's arm came into contact with a metal angle nearby. The employee sustained a 3 cm laceration which was treated at a local medical facility, including stitches

2014 · 3 incidents

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was performing maintenance troubleshooting on a Rotex. Upon climbing down onto the platform, he placed his foot onto a chunk of dirt causing him to lose his balance causing pain in his right knee. He was treated by the company Doctor and diagnosed with a sprain.

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Two employees were bagging material into totes. The forklift operator raised the forks while the other employee's hands were close by, pinching one finger between a fork and a chute. The employee was treated at a nearby hospital. The employee's wound was cleaned and dressed, and he was given prescription medication.

Over-exertion in lifting objects

On 4/1/14, the employee informed Human Resources that he had injured his back while assisting maintenance employees work on a mixer. He did not report this injury to any supervisors, and witnesses have provided statements verifying he made no mention of an injury while at work during this time. The workers compensation claim is being challenged.

2013 · 12 incidents

Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee was walking from his workstation to the bathroom when he slipped and fell on a concrete surface. The employee broke his ankle in the fall. He was transported to the hospital for treatment.

Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Two employees were fitting a pipe flange on ground level. The flange was tack welded in place. The tack weld failed causing the flange and assembly to fall approximately 8' pinching the mechanics finger between the flange and a hard metal surface below. The injured employee received sutures to close a laceration to his left index finger and a prescription for antibiotics.

Fall to lower level, (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE did not use his safety equipment as required by company policy. He had on his harness and tie off cables were attached to his harness, he did not tie off. He fell and broke arm and bruised hip.

Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee slipped and struck his knee causing a fracture.

Struck against stationary object

Employee tripped on protruding bolt causing him to jam his hand between two doors and dislocate his small finger.

Over-exertion in lifting objects

Picked up an empty 5 gallon bucket and felt pain in his back

Struck by flying object

Employee was cutting brackets when a gust of wind blew debris into his eye. Glasses and face shield were used.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

A maintenance employee was retracting a short length of compressed air hose into the reel. The air hose forcefully hit the stop and whipped. The hose whip caused the metal fitting to strike him in the mouth breaking the end of a front permanent tooth.

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

While rotating pipe to finish weld, flange rotated pinning employee's foot causing a contusion.

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

While rotating pipe to finish weld, flange rotated pinning employee's foot/ankle causing a fracture.

Struck against stationary object

Employee was removing metal shavings from a table when a piece of metal punctured his glove and then his left hand. He was taken to the clinic for this injury on 3-25-13.

Struck by rolling or sliding object

Employee was assisting with staging of materials and an iron beam rolled over onto her ankle and fractured the tibia bone above the ankle. Two screws will be put in it to stabilize and help the bone to heal.

2012 · 5 incidents

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Picked up two steel beams with a forklift. One of the beams was not centered on the forks. By hand, worker pulled the beam to center and left thumb was pinched between the beams. The bone of the thumbnail digit of the left thumb was broken.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Operator Error-Operator was backfilling area blind. View was blocked by injured employee

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

A subcontractor was using a home made tool to bend silo panel flanges during the installation of finished product storage silo walls. The employee was pulling the tool towards himself and it slipped out of position. The top edge of the tool handle struck him on the bottom of his safety glasses resulting in a laceration under his left eye that required six sutures.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Cutting pointed ends on wood stakes. Skill saw kicked back and under Employee holding stake with left hand.

Struck by flying object

Installing earth tooth on auger using a 3lb hammer. Piece of tooth broke off hitting face and cutting eyebrow.

2007 · 1 incident

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was stripping CB antenna wire with a razor knife; the knife slipped and employee received a laceration in the palm of the right hand. He received 6 sutures to close the laceration.

2003 · 1 incident

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

INJURY HAPPENED IN 2 STAGES. EMPLOYEE WAS CLEARING AN OBSTRUCTION FROM THE KILN DISCHARGE CHUTE. THE OBSTRUCTION BROKE FREE & HOT ORE CAME OUT RAPIDLY. THE EMPLOYEE TURNED QUICKLY TO RUN AND F ELT SOMETHING POP IN HIS RIGHT HIP. 5 DAYS LATER THE EE WAS CLEARING STUCK MATERIAL FROM THE CHUTEE WITH A ROD. AS HE RAISED THE ROD WITH BOTH ARMS HIS RIGHT HIP DISLOCATED & HE WENT TO HIS K