Mining Incidents

Dicaperl Minerals LLCMetal/Nonmetal

Socorro, Socorro County, NM · Active
MSHA Mine ID: 2901433
Fatalities
0
Total incidents
63
Years on record
2001–2025
Latest incident
Sep 2025
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

63 on file

2025 · 3 incidents

Struck against stationary object

Employee stepped onto driver's side tire to grab the vehicle chocks from the bed of the truck. While stepping off of the tire, the employee placed EE's foot onto a loose rock. When the rock spun out beneath the employee, the employee felt their right knee ""pop"".

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee stepped incorrectly and sprained/strained their right ankle.

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

Against SOP employee carried metal up the belt manlift and was caught in a pinch point resulting in a fracture of their middle toe on their right foot.

2024 · 2 incidents

Struck by flying object

Employee was sitting in the maintenance shop and unknown debris entered the employee's eye.

Struck by flying object

Employee was grinding without eye protection and got debris in right eye.

2023 · 4 incidents

Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee attempted to move a gearbox with a prybar when EE felt a burning in EE's left arm and chest.

Struck by flying object

Employee was wearing sunglasses instead of safety glasses or goggles while bagging fine ore. Debris entered employee's right eye.

Struck by flying object

Employee was operating water truck to reduce dust is high wind conditions. Wind blew dust debris into employees left eye.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee went to remove strap caught on pallet. While moving they accidentally got a splinter stuck under their right thumb nail.

2022 · 5 incidents

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee advised stepped wrong and twisted knee while working cleaning a car.

Struck by flying object

Employee was repairing our 988B teeth. While employee was hammering in the teeth, a shard of metal came off of the teeth and entered employee's arm.

Struck by falling object

Employee and contractor were installing a bucket elevator when it came free. Employee was tossed to the side and the contractor had the bucket elevator collapse upon contractor. Employee was released from the hospital after a few hours, and the contractor was sent to a hospital in Albuquerque.

Struck by falling object

While lifting with a crane, an elevator belt snapped and injured a contractor and an employee.

Over-exertion in lifting objects

While an employee was assisting carrying an injured contractor to an ambulance, the employee injured their shoulder.

2021 · 6 incidents

Over-exertion in lifting objects

Miner attempted to lift piping. Miner advised ""Pulled something in Miner's back"".

Struck by flying object

Employee was operating a dozer to haul waste ore. Employee stepped out of the dozer and a gust of wind blew debris into employee's eye.

Struck by flying object

Employee was working on the Secondary Screen grinding on its rails. Employee advised employee felt something land in eye, but did not think anything of it. Employee advised employee was wearing safety glasses. Employee continued to work from the date of incident (Friday) into Tuesday 10/12/21 before advising what had occurred and that the eye was irritating employee.

Struck against stationary object

EE was assigned to replace guards on a roller mill. EE was adjusting the guard for placement, and a burr on the guard snagged EE's arm and cut through the skin.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was traveling between the maintenance shop and the ""Bubble"", to shut off cutting torch bottles. Employee states they ""stepped wrong"" and rolled their left ankle.

Fall onto or against objects

Employee lost footing, slipped or fell into belt manlift, internal injuries to upper torso.

2020 · 2 incidents

Fall onto or against objects

Delivery driver from Rhinehart Oil preparing to pump oil from truck tank to Dicaperl tank. Truck bed has raised seam which cause delivery driver to trip and hit head on a rail.

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

Motor being lifted by chainfall, motor came loose & chain tightened pinching employee's fingers. Tearing skin on middle & pinky fingers, stitches needed on pinky finger.

2019 · 6 incidents

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Miner was opening the bottom door of a train car when steel bar slipped out of the hole and crushed the tip of the left hand ring finger against the rail.

Fall onto or against objects

While opening doors on top of train car, employee dropped hammer in compartment. Went in train car to get it, slipped and hit right elbow on middle beam.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Shoveling perlite gravel on the bottom floor of the mill building. When shoveling, hit a part of concrete that was uplifted from the rest of concrete slab. Made shoulder jerk. Felt sharp pain. Ten days later pain/movement getting worse.

Contact with hot objects or substances

While using cutting torch, slag burnt through pants and fell into left booting burning left foot

Over-exertion in lifting objects

Pulled muscle in arm shoveling.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Missed step tried to catch self and pulled EE's leg.

2018 · 4 incidents

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was attempting to unclog a chute when right arm became trapped.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee turned EE's ankle walking to a fire drill.

Struck by flying object

EE was helping Maintenance Mechanics replace the teeth on the bucked of the 988H loader. They were striking the tooth with hammers when it splintered sending a piece of metal into EE's groin area.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Slipped injured knee and ankle/foot

2017 · 3 incidents

Over-exertion in lifting objects

Lifting a motor for installation.

Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Miner was bitten by a spider

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was removing a come along from a whizzer fan table and in the process the fan blade fell and hit employee's left hand. At a later time was swinging a hammer to bend the edge of screen felt a shift in employee's hand bones causing the hand to swell.

2016 · 2 incidents

Accident type, without injuries

Contractor was hauling perlite ore to the Socorro Plant and as EE was dumping the ore would not slide out, the truck and trailer weren't parallel causing the trailer to flip on its side. After further investigation it was found that the tailgate was never opened.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was striking a 4 inch pipe to spread the opening in the pipe. Striking with hammer causing the pipe to pop up hitting the employee in the mouth.

2015 · 2 incidents

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

Employees were installing new liners on dryer drum manually turning the dryer by hand. The drum began to move very fast. The injured employee grabbed the v-belt to attempt to slow drum down but his hand got hung up in the pulley.

Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee was cutting and welding on to apron of 631 scraper. When lifting the loft sheet of metal twisted back feeling a sharp pain in lower back.

2013 · 1 incident

Struck against stationary object

Employee changing out a k-screen when rubbed arm against sharp corner of screen railing causing employee to cut his right forearm.

2012 · 1 incident

Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

Employee was pulling on elevator belt to hook belt on to a wrench when he felt pain in his lower back.

2011 · 2 incidents

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was changing anvils on turbo crusher. Employee was hitting anvils with a two pound sledge hammer when a piece of metal struck upper lip. Employee did not report incident to management until 10/18/11. First treatment was basic first aid. Employee sought medical treament on 11/11/11 to have a removal of foreign material from upper lip. There was no lost time involved.

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

Employee caught his left index finger between two motors causing a laceration on both sides of finger.

2008 · 2 incidents

Struck by falling object

Employee was spreading forks on skytrac. Employee was holding the fork up with his left hand when the fork slipped off causing the fork to swing back and smash the right hand.

Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee states he was welding (hard facing) lifter for dryer. Employee states when he moved lifted on table he felt a hot spot in midsection. Employee states that this was during the morning work hours but he does not remember the exact time. Employee did not report this as a workman's comp until 10 am on 4/17/2008.

2007 · 1 incident

Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee was cleaning perlite with a shovel and was putting it into a wheel barrow.

2006 · 2 incidents

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

EE removed guard and was cleaning off area. Motion sensor arm came around and trapped EE's finger between arm $ sensor resulting in injury.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was having to use a bar to close railcar bottom door when the bar slipped out of the door socket causing EE to hit right hand onto the concrete.

2005 · 3 incidents

Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee pulled a muscle in his lower back while performing his regular duties. The exact cause is unknown, however, he had been sweeping,shoveling, operating a back hoe, and around 3:30 p.m. he helped another employee lift a 1/4"" plate of steel from the saw horses. Later that evening, when he was exiting his truck at home his back was hurting.

Fall from machine

Employee was fueling loader off of fuel/lube truck. He stepped onto bed of lube truck to shut off fuel switch when he tripped over a pipe on the truck bed causing him to fall.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE put his hand and arm up a pipe and his three middle fingers on his right hand were severed at the first joint by a seal valve which was still in operation. Per call to person completeting form, 3 fingers were amputated to furst joint- coder 12.

2004 · 4 incidents

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was cutting off a steel ring of the raymond mill when the ring came off it hit employee in the right leg causing the skin to come loose in the shin area.

Struck against stationary object

EMPLOYEE WAS CLEANING PLUGGED SCREW UNDER 3 BIN (ORE BIN). WHEN EMPLOYEE STOOD UP AND TURNED AROUND HE RAN INTO THE BOTTOM PLATE OF THE BIN CAUSING HIM TO HIT AND CUT HIS RIGHT EYE LID.

Fall from ladders

EE WAS STANDING ON A LADDER WHICH CAME OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE EE CAUSING EE TO FALL. EE WAS GETTING AN ORE SAMPLE FROM THE CHUTE ON SCREEN DECK.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS HELPING REMOVE PEDESTAL FROM ROLLER MILL WHEN WRENCH SLIPPED AND HIT EE ON HIS RT. HAND.

2003 · 2 incidents

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS TRYING TO LOOSEN UP A BEARING ON THE TURBO SPLITTER. PRY BAR SLIPPED CAUSING THE EE TO INJURE SHOULDER.

Struck against stationary object

EMPLOYEE WAS STEPPING OFF CURB WHEN HE STEPPED ON A ROCK OR SOMETHING THAT ROLLED UNDER HIS FOOT.

2002 · 2 incidents

Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS RESETTING SHIMS ON JAW CRUSHER. EE HAD HIS HAND UNDER WRENCH BEING USED TO LOOSEN BOLT WHEN ANOTHE EE STEPPED ON WRENCH FOR LEVERAGE CAUSING EE TO SMASH LITTL FINGER.

Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS INSTALLING CUTTING EDGE ON 631 D SCRAPER. EE WAS USING SUPPORTING EDGE WITH DOLLY CART AND CART FLIPPED ON EDGE, CAUSING EE TO SMASH RIGHT THUMB.

2001 · 4 incidents

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS CLEANING A PLUGGED CHUTE IN THE K SCREEN SPLITTER. THE EMPLOYEE REACHED INSIDE SPLITTER TO REMOVE ORE FROM PIPE. THE SPLITTER CAUGHT HIS COVERALL PULLING HIS HAND INSIDE AND CRUS HING HIS LEFT HAND.

Fall from ladders

EMPLOYEE WAS REPLACING SIMPLICITY SCREEN ON SCREEN DECK. IN REMOVING DUST COVERS FROM SCREEN, EMPLOYEE SLIPPED ON SECOND RUNG OF LADDER CAUSING HIS KNEE TO EXTEND.

(Not Elsewhere Classified)

HEARING TESTS COMPLETED ON 3-28-01 DETERMINED THAT THE EE HAS REPORTABLE HEARING LOSS AT THE 2,000, 3,000 AND 4,000 HZ LEVELS. EVALUATION RECEIVED ON 4-18-01.

(Not Elsewhere Classified)

HEARING TESTS COMPLETED ON 3/28/01 DETERMINED THAT THE EE HAS REPORTABLE HEARING LOSS AT THE 3,000 AND 4,000 HZ LEVELS. EVALUATIONS RECEIVED ON 4-18-01.