Mining Incidents

Leonardite Products Mine&Mill Operation Metal/Non-Metal

Williston, Williams County, ND  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 3200652

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
12
Years on record
2001–2026
Latest incident
May 2026
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
177
citations
52
significant & substantial
$92,096
proposed penalties
$70,428
paid to date
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Quarterly safety rates
Citations per million employee-hours, as reported to MSHA
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2025 Q4 6,986 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 6,238 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 6,488 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 7,604 5 0 657.5
2024 Q4 8,500 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 9,157 0 0 0.0
2024 Q2 8,171 3 0 367.2
2024 Q1 7,118 0 0 0.0
Quarters under 100,000 reported hours are greyed: too few hours for a stable rate.
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

12 on file

2026 · 1 incident

May 2, 2026 ND · Metal/Non-Metal FIRE
Leonardite Products, LLC · Accident type, without injuries

Maintenance began 4/24/2026. Grinding on 4/30/2026, with fire watch in place, caused smoldering in combustible material near the work area, which was extinguished. Additional grinding occurred 5/1/2026. On 5/2/2026, a fire was reported on the plant roof at 6:05 AM and extinguished within one hour. Sections of the metal roof were cut to access hot spots, requiring replacement.

2015 · 1 incident

August 2, 2015 ND · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Leonardite Products, LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee was hooking a bag to a forklift and gave the all clear. The straps started to shift off the end of the fork so employee tried to readjust and got finger caught between the fork and bag strap.

2013 · 1 incident

July 10, 2013 ND · Metal/Non-Metal prep plant foreman, supervisor, mill plant supervisor, kiln supervisor HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Leonardite Products, LLC · Struck by flying object

Employee was working in shop where lighting was good. He was hammering to remove a bearing from a case. He was wearing shaded safety glasses when he pulled them down on his nose to see better. He struck the bearing and a small piece of metal struck the eye.

2009 · 1 incident

June 23, 2009 ND · Metal/Non-Metal IGNITION OR EXPLOSION OF GAS OR DUST
Leonardite Products, LLC · Accident type, without injuries

The electrical service in that area was shut off. 1 pallet had deep burns. It appears spontaneous combustion occurred in a bulk bag filled with 1/4 inch leonardite and soda ash. The moisture of the leonardite was approx 28%, higher than we recommend. We believe the combination of moisture, leonardite and soda ash caused an exothermic reaction. A chemist said this is possible.

2007 · 1 incident

December 6, 2007 ND · Metal/Non-Metal FIRE
GeoResources Inc · Accident type, without injuries

Cause is unknown at this time. There is only one shift per day from 8am - 4pm so no one was there at the time of the fire. Grinding equipment was damaged and a wood building was destroyed. Also, there was some damage to an adjoining steel storage building. There were no injuries.

2005 · 2 incidents

May 16, 2005 ND · Metal/Non-Metal FIRE
GeoResources Inc · Accident type, without injuries

The fire started sometime after 10 00 pm.It was discovered at 5:30 am on May 17 & was reported to the fire dept. They were on the scene at 5:50 am. & remained until 2:00 pm. They were recalled at 4:00 pm & remained until 7:45 pm.The fire seemed to be out at the time. The fire chief suspects possible electrical cause, but it is yet to be determined for sure.

March 1, 2005 ND · Metal/Non-Metal welder (shop) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
GeoResources Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

PICKED UP A 50LB BAG AND STARTED WALKING UP THE STAIRS, FELT SOMETHING LIKE A SHARP POKE IN THE LOWER BACK. EE THOUGHT IT WOULD GET BETTER, SO FINISHED OUT THE DAY. WENT TO THE CHIROPRACTOR, THEN WENT TO DR WIENS

2004 · 2 incidents

November 17, 2004 ND · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman MACHINERY
GeoResources Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

EMPLOYEE WAS MIXING. THE GRINDER BECAME PLUGGED. HE CAUGHT HIS THUMB IN THE GRINDER. HIS THUMB WAS CUT ACROSS THE TOP AND DOWN ONE SIDE AND HE TORE HIS THUMBNAIL OFF. HE SAW A DOCTOR IN THE E.R. HE WILL HAVE A RE-CHECK 11/19/04 AND IS SCHEDULED FOR AN X-RAY.

October 11, 2004 ND · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
GeoResources Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

EE WAS MIXING, STACKING 50LB BAGS.

2002 · 2 incidents

March 26, 2002 ND · Metal/Non-Metal mine manager, mine foreman, mine owner HANDLING OF MATERIALS
GeoResources Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WAS STACKING BAGS ON A PALLET, BENT OVER AND FELT SHARP PAIN IN THE LOWER BACK.

January 25, 2002 ND · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
GeoResources Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS PUTTING SHRINK WRAP ON PALLET. BACK POPPED. HE SAW A DOCTOR ON FRIDAY & HAS ANOTHER APPT WITH HIM THIS WEEK.

2001 · 1 incident

October 22, 2001 ND · Metal/Non-Metal mine manager, mine foreman, mine owner HANDLING OF MATERIALS
GeoResources Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

EMPLOYEE WAS CARRYING A SHEET OF PLYWOOD W/HIS RARM. AS HE WAS LIFTING THE PLYWOOD, HE FELT SOMETHING PULL BEGINNING AT THE R. SHOULDER AND ACROSS THE BACK DIAGONALLY AND DOWN THE L. LEG. HE INITIALLY SAW A CHIROPRACTOR SEVERAL TIMES. HE RETURNED TO WORK 10/29/01 TO 11/12/01. ON NOV12TH HE INJURED IT AGAIN BY BENDING OVER. THE DRBELIEVES HE MAY HAVE PULLED HIS SCIATIC NERVE.