Mining Incidents

Comstock / Mountain LionMetal/Nonmetal

Utah Iron, LLC · Surface
Cedar City, Iron County, UT · Temporarily Idled
MSHA Mine ID: 4201927
Fatalities
1
Total incidents
33
Years on record
2011–2024
Latest incident
Oct 2024

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

Miner became entangled in belt return roller and sustained fatal injuries. Equipment involved was Rahco mobile stacker, Model m30x1500.

Reportable incidents

32 on file (excluding fatalities above)

2024 · 6 incidents

Struck by flying object

Employee #1 was swinging a sledgehammer, and it slipped out of employee #1's hands and struck employee #2 in the knee.

Fall from machine

Went to exit bed of truck after securing transfer tank. Stepped up on right rear with both feet, lowered right foot to descend to ground. Fuel residue from truck bed caused boot to slip off tire and fall to the ground.

Fall down stairs

Had wet feet slipped on stairs, put out right hand to catch themselves. Sprained wrist.

Struck against a moving object

Taking the dozer up to push cone over. Material gave way under the track tipping dozer over.

(Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was working and fell to knees, the Dr later stated that the employee had a stroke and is not work related

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

8"" pipe was being installed underneath East end on filter press #3. The pipe was supported by an overhead crane on the south end and a come along on the north end. Somehow the rigging slipped causing the pipe to come up on the south end at this time, EE's hand was smashed between the pipe and a beam that was above the area EE was working in.

2023 · 4 incidents

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

Employee was packing some grating to work on some flooring. Employee slipped and landed with body weight on the grating with hand caught between the floor and grating. Employee's hand is broken and underwent surgery the next day. Employee is on doctor's work restriction until rehabilitation is complete. Employee currently scheduled to return to work on 01/19/2024.

Fall from machine

A maintenance employee was performing elevated maintenance work on the ball mill. Employee was using fall protection. Employee was in the process of attaching a fall protection clip, when employee lost balance and fell. Employee complained of ankle pain. Employee was transported to the emergency room.

Rubbed or abraded

After using a metal hammer to adjust a gate, employee tossed the hammer. Unbeknownst to the employee, there was a metal ""burr"" on the hammer that cut their right index finger. Employee was taken to medical clinic for treatment. The employee's finger was treated with 10 stitches, and employee was released to return to work.

Fall from machine

Employee was climbing onto D9 dozer and slipped and fell to the ground. According to medical examination, employee sprained left and right ankles. Will need to follow-up with podiatrist in one week.

2022 · 1 incident

Struck against stationary object

Employee was performing maintenance on a fan when EE's right hand struck an inactive blade, cutting the right index finger and knuckle. 9 stitches required. Employee is a supervisor; this injury will not limit EE's abilities to perform duties.

2021 · 4 incidents

Over-exertion in lifting objects

While attaching an air hose on a railcar employee twisted and felt and heard a pop in left shoulder

Fall onto or against objects

Was fueling feed dozer during a snow storm. Slipped falling leg went between track and engine compartment, and fell the opposite way off dozer. Fracture of rt ankle.

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

Using a pry bar to change out a roller on conveyor, bar slipped and smashed employee's little finger on left hand, causing a fracture

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

While lowering a load on the overhead crane, rt thumb was crushed between a guard and the load.

2014 · 2 incidents

(Not Elsewhere Classified)

While preparing for his work became light headed, was taken to VVMC in Cedar he was later transferred to DRMC in St George. On 6/2/2014 he was transferred to SLC Hosp where he passed of natural causes related to his heart. GDC does not believe this constitutes a reportable event under the Mine Act, submits this form out of abundance of caution and err on the side of compliance.

Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Miner was opening individual bags of lime, and pouring them into a super sack so that we could put it into the process. Miner had proper PPE on, but clean up man not have been sufficient. Miner dermatitis.

2013 · 10 incidents

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was assisting another employee with an automatic dumping refuse dumpster. It triggered unexpectedly, recoiled, and crushed his left index finger.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was cutting the plastic binding on some filter cloths and slipped, cutting his left index finger.

Struck by flying object

Injured person was using a 60lb jackhammer pounding T post in for construction fence, the ground was extra hard and jack hammer Tee post bit broke, pieces of bit still in hammer hit his right forearm causing a laceration requiring 19 stitches.

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

Injured person was guiding the ""bobcat"" operator into position when suddenly the bucket moved ""sideways"" crushing his right foot. Fortunately there were no broken bones and the injured miner was placed on light duty due to a ""contusion"" to the right foot.

Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee slipped on floor on south side of the building. He did not actually fall, but ""twisted"" his back while trying to regain his balance.

Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee attempted to move a piece of rail road track that was laying on another piece of rail road track, by himself, when it moved, it rolled over and smashed his finger. He got stitches and they surgically repaired the right hand ring finger.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was cutting ""pex"" pipe with a utility knife and the blade of the knife slipped, cutting his right thigh.

Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Operator was exposed to a new chemical in the mill. Minor burns oh his body. Took him in for medical care as a precaution.

Struck by falling object

The operator was removing a guard on the bottom of the belt, the guard slipped and fell on his hand causing a laceration on the middle finger of the left hand.

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Men were working on the rail cars on track 3 near the mill. Operator was using a grinder with no guard. The wheel caught on the metal and the grinder and the cutting wheel jumped up his forearm cutting it. We transported him to the Work Med clinic where he received 24 stitches. He was released to return to work, modified work release.

2012 · 2 incidents

Struck against stationary object

While replacing lid on 5 gal paint bucket, hand slipped off screw driver that was being used to bend tab over. Hand slipped off screw driver and index finger was cut by lid tab.

Fall onto or against objects

The employee was a supervisor observing work being done by 2 other workers in the SAG Mill. He turned and went to go around the gear being worked on and slipped and fell (same level fall) contacting the edge of metal grating causing a laceration on his rt shin. The laceration required stitches. The employee was released without restrictions.

2011 · 3 incidents

Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE's leg was not paying attention to the equipment that he was working on.

Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was performing maintenance and repairs on equipment when his hand got crushed between two pieces of steel.

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

Index finger in left hand got pinched and cut between form clamp handle and scissor lift railing as lift was being raised.