Mining Incidents
Search Operators Mines Alerts Research Controllers Fatalgrams About
English Español
← Back to search

Ashdown Mine: 1 recorded fatality Metal/Non-Metal

Ashdown Project LLC · Underground
Controlled by Win-Eldrich Mines Ltd
Denio, Humboldt County, NV  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 2600578

Ashdown Mine has $268K in proposed MSHA penalties and $220K outstanding across 13 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

Watch this mine

Email me when a new MSHA incident is filed at Ashdown Mine.

Fatalities
1
Total incidents
28
Years on record
1983–2010
Latest incident
Jul 2010
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2005
378
citations
113
significant & substantial
$268,159
proposed penalties
$40,808
paid to date
15% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $227,351 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Ashdown Project LLC's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2005
88
inspections on record
2,794
inspection hours
13.5
citations per 100 inspection hours
ⓘ This rate is recorded citations divided by MSHA inspection hours, per 100 hours. It reflects inspection effort, not mine size or production.
378 citations across 2,794 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Imminent-danger orders
ⓘ A Section 107(a) order removes miners from an area when an inspector finds an imminent danger. Each order is lifted once the condition is corrected, so this counts orders issued, not orders now in effect.
1
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2010-11-30.
On record since 2010.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.

Ashdown Mine has $268K in proposed MSHA penalties and $220K outstanding across 13 contested dockets.

Penalty disposition
ⓘ Differences between proposed and paid penalties reflect both settlements and conference reductions and amounts still owed. Outstanding is the balance currently owed.
$268K
proposed penalties
$261K
current assessed
$41K
paid to date
$220K
outstanding
354 assessments are final orders; 13 contested dockets.
Of $54K in penalties contested before the Commission, $34K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2015-08-13.
Source: MSHA assessed-violations and conference/litigation data, updated weekly.
Violation severity profile
ⓘ Shares are computed over citations that carry the MSHA gravity and negligence coding; a small share of records are uncoded.
31.9%
significant & substantial
16.7%
high negligence or reckless
31.9%
reasonably likely or greater
59.3%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 4.8% low, 78.5% moderate, 16.7% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
When citations were contested
ⓘ Contesting a citation before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission is a lawful right. These figures state the public outcomes of that process, from MSHA's Contested Violations file.
57 citations taken to the federal commission · 15% of citations on record
  • Settled 51 · 89%
  • Stood as issued 6 · 11%
100%
S&S designation survived the contest
ⓘ Counts a Significant & Substantial citation as surviving when a settlement or judge's decision kept the designation, or the contest was dismissed or defaulted so the citation stands as issued. Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.
of 26 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
38%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$54K proposed, $34K after decisions · industry: 39%
Source: MSHA Contested Violations file (public record), updated weekly. A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record. Latest contest filed 2010-09-24.
Contested penalties
ⓘ A reduction or dismissal at the Commission is a lawful outcome of contesting a proposed penalty. Figures are the proposed amount and the amount upheld in the docket's decision.
Largest penalties this mine contested before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, with the outcome on record.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
WEST 2009-1027M Settlement Gill 2011 $16K → $13K
WEST 2008-1588M Dismissal Lesnick 2009 $14K → $0
WEST 2010-4M Settlement Gill 2011 $6K → $5K
WEST 2009-762M Settlement Gill 2011 $4K → $2K
WEST 2008-1023M Default Lesnick 2010 $4K → $4K
WEST 2010-1874M Settlement Gill 2011 $3K → $2K
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.
Health sampling
ⓘ A sample is a point in time compliance measurement, not an individual exposure history. These figures describe MSHA sampling records and do not establish causation or personal dose.

Metal and nonmetal contaminants (personal samples)
ⓘ Many samples are screening measurements of substances with no applicable exposure limit; they are counted as samples but excluded from every over-limit figure. Over-limit shares use only limit-tested samples.

Last sampled: 2011-03-01, 15 years ago
25%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
25
samples
24
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Diesel particulate (total carbon)94 over
  • TCarbon @ 35022 over
  • TC as EC @ 35021 over
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz8
Show the individual readings (55)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2010-12-01 EC @ 160 263 160 1.64 Nipper, Supply Man
2010-12-01 TC @ 160 367 160 2.29 Nipper, Supply Man
2010-12-01 EC @ 160 305 160 1.91 Nipper, Supply Man
2010-12-01 TC @ 160 319 160 1.99 Nipper, Supply Man
2010-07-12 EC @ 160 212 160 1.33 Nipper, Supply Man
2010-07-12 TC @ 160 261 160 1.63 Nipper, Supply Man
2010-04-14 EC @ 160 257 160 1.61 Nipper, Supply Man
2010-04-14 TC @ 160 324 160 2.03 Nipper, Supply Man
2007-06-05 TCarbon @ 350 743.9 350 2.13 Drill Oper., Jackleg/Stoper
2007-06-05 TCarbon @ 350 583.29 350 1.67 Truck Driver
2007-06-05 TC as EC @ 350 375.3 350 1.07 Drill Oper., Jackleg/Stoper
2011-03-01 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Nipper, Supply Man
2011-03-01 TC @ 160 111 160 0.69 Nipper, Supply Man
2011-03-01 TC @ 160 96 160 0.60 Nipper, Supply Man
2011-03-01 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Nipper, Supply Man
2011-03-01 EC @ 160 41 160 0.26 Nipper, Supply Man
2011-03-01 EC @ 160 45 160 0.28 Nipper, Supply Man
2010-12-01 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Nipper, Supply Man
2010-12-01 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Nipper, Supply Man
2010-07-12 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Nipper, Supply Man
2010-07-12 TC @ 160 110 160 0.69 Miner, Raise
2010-07-12 EC @ 160 54 160 0.34 Miner, Raise
2010-07-12 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Miner, Raise
2010-04-14 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Nipper, Supply Man
2010-04-14 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.67 2.74 0.24 Miner, Raise
2010-01-20 Lead, inorganic dust 0 150 0.00 Utility Man
2010-01-20 Calcium oxide 0 5 0.00 Sampler, Dust
2010-01-20 Silver dust & soluble compounds 0.11 10 0.01 Ball Mill Operator
2010-01-20 Arsenic dust 0 500 0.00 Utility Man
2010-01-20 Beryllium dust 0 2 0.00 Utility Man
2010-01-20 Cadmium dust & salts 0 200 0.00 Utility Man
2010-01-20 Chromium, soluble 0.16 500 0.00 Utility Man
2010-01-20 Cobalt dust 0 100 0.00 Utility Man
2010-01-20 Copper dust and mist 0 1 0.00 Utility Man
2010-01-20 Iron soluble salts 0.01 1 0.01 Utility Man
2010-01-20 Manganese dust 0 5 0.00 Utility Man
2010-01-20 Molybdenum dust 0.02 10 0.00 Utility Man
2010-01-20 Nickel dust & salts 0 1 0.00 Utility Man
2010-01-20 Vanadium dust 0 500 0.00 Utility Man
2010-01-20 Molybdenum dust 0.01 10 0.00 Sampler, Dust
2010-01-13 TC @ 160 109 160 0.68 Miner, Drift
2010-01-13 EC @ 160 56 160 0.35 Miner, Drift
2010-01-13 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Miner, Drift
2009-07-14 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.17 1.63 0.10 Truck Driver
2009-07-14 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.24 2.19 0.11 Miner, Stope
2009-07-14 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.26 1.39 0.19 Truck Driver
2008-08-05 EC @ 160 132 160 0.83 Front-end Loader Operator
2008-08-05 TC @ 160 146 160 0.91 Front-end Loader Operator
2008-08-05 TC from EC @ 160 0 160 0.00 Front-end Loader Operator
2007-06-05 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.66 2.17 0.30 Miner, Raise
2007-06-05 TC as EC @ 350 289.48 350 0.83 Truck Driver
2007-06-05 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.47 Mucking Mach. Operator
2007-05-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.29 1.06 0.27 Flotation/Concentrator Oper.
2007-05-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.4 0.41 0.98 Crusher Oper/Worker
2007-05-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.22 0.74 0.30 Crusher Oper/Worker
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly. Metal/nonmetal contaminant figures come from MSHA's Personal Health Samples and Area Samples files (public record), updated weekly.

Ashdown Mine recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2011.

Injury rate, 2011
ⓘ This rate is reportable injury cases per 100 full-time-equivalent workers per year, computed as 200,000 times cases divided by MSHA operator-reported employee-hours. Cases are injuries MSHA graded degree 01 through 07; accident-only events that hurt no one are excluded, and so are contractor injuries, whose hours do not attach to a single mine. Rates begin in 2000, when quarterly employment reporting starts, and are withheld below 20,000 hours in a year.
0.00
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 2.56 and the all-US-mining average was 3.08 cases per 100 workers.
In Nevada, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.89 cases per 100 workers that year.
Under 100,000 employee-hours were reported that year, so a single case moves the rate by two or more. Read the figure as approximate.
Year total case rate days-away fatal
2011 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2010 * 8.22 8.22 0.000
2009 * 3.34 3.34 0.000
2008 18.58 15.20 0.000
2007 * 6.03 2.01 0.000
2006 * 10.79 10.79 0.000
* Fewer than 100,000 employee-hours that year; the rate is less stable.
Source: injury cases from MSHA accident and injury records; employee-hours from MSHA quarterly employment reports. Rate is cases per 100 full-time-equivalent workers, operator employees only.
Ownership history
  1. American Copper & Nickel Company Inc 1982 to 2004
  2. Golden Phoenix Minerals Inc. 2004 to 2007
  3. Ashdown Project LLC 2007 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2016 4
2015 4
2014 4
2013 1
2012 5
2011 28
2010 41
2009 33
2008 71
2007 61
2006 18
2005 6
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Ashdown Mine sits in Humboldt County, Nevada, where the Census mining category is 20.1% of county employment.

Local economic context
ⓘ County figures come from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey, 5-year pooled estimates, so the 2023 vintage covers 2019 through 2023. The Census category is 'mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction', which is broader than MSHA jurisdiction and includes oil and gas workers no mine employs. These figures describe the surrounding county, not this mine, and are not a factor in any specific incident.
Humboldt County, Nevada · Population 17,299
20.1%
Mining share of county employment
$79,946
Median household income
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates.
Quarterly safety rates
ⓘ Citations per million reported employee-hours. Rates begin in 2000, when MSHA's quarterly employment data starts; earlier incidents are counted but cannot be rate-adjusted. Quarters under 100,000 reported hours are greyed: too few hours for a stable rate.
Citations per million employee-hours, as reported to MSHA
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2016 Q4 576 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 720 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 656 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 544 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 226 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 686 2 0 2915.5
2015 Q2 644 2 1 3105.6
2015 Q1 608 3 0 4934.2
Show 39 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2014 Q4 544 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 672 11 0 16369.0
2014 Q2 592 44 6 74324.3
2014 Q1 480 19 2 39583.3
2013 Q4 568 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 528 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 528 0 0 0.0
2013 Q1 528 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 528 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 528 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 528 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 11,138 1 0 89.8
2011 Q4 17,454 10 5 572.9
2011 Q3 15,008 7 1 466.4
2011 Q2 16,759 4 0 238.7
2011 Q1 16,932 10 4 590.6
2010 Q4 17,086 11 3 643.8
2010 Q3 16,095 16 6 994.1
2010 Q2 17,405 8 3 459.6
2010 Q1 22,386 8 4 357.4
2009 Q4 19,215 15 8 780.6
2009 Q3 20,138 19 8 943.5
2009 Q2 12,341 6 5 486.2
2009 Q1 8,118 2 2 246.4
2008 Q4 12,848 1 0 77.8
2008 Q3 41,543 2 1 48.1
2008 Q2 37,026 30 8 810.2
2008 Q1 26,980 47 14 1742.0
2007 Q4 33,020 10 3 302.8
2007 Q3 24,970 34 17 1361.6
2007 Q2 23,737 19 3 800.4
2007 Q1 17,784 17 4 955.9
2006 Q4 12,716 9 4 707.8
2006 Q3 12,136 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 6,472 3 0 463.5
2006 Q1 5,735 3 0 523.1
2005 Q4 5,456 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 3,375 3 0 888.9
2005 Q1 173 0 0 0.0

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded

Reportable incidents

27 on file (excluding fatalities above)

2010 · 3 incidents

July 27, 2010 NV · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Ashdown Project LLC · Struck by falling object

Unconsolidated slough off hanging wall fell from the rib pushed miner down on an 8X8 timber, right leg bent under him and was broken when he landed on the leg and timber at the same time.

April 20, 2010 NV · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech MACHINERY
Ashdown Project LLC · Contact with hot objects or substances

Welding overhead, slag and sparks went down the shirt sleeve and burned elbow causing a staph infection.

April 11, 2010 NV · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man MACHINERY
Ashdown Project LLC · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Lifting a jackleg from a raise # 3, went to put it in a slide bucket

2009 · 1 incident

2008 · 13 incidents

October 27, 2008 NV · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man MACHINERY
Ashdown Project LLC · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

While pulling a hung steel with jackleg, strained left shoulder and neck area.

September 19, 2008 NV · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Ashdown Project LLC · Struck by falling object

Installing a timber stull 9', a rock came loose when the stull tightened and fell on his hard hat.

September 8, 2008 NV · Metal/Non-Metal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Ashdown Project LLC · Accident type, without injuries

A blast occured on 9/6/08. This area was closed, barricaded off preventing anyone to enter this area and supporting it and scaling it down.

September 6, 2008 NV · Metal/Non-Metal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Ashdown Project LLC · Accident type, without injuries

After a blast, the ground fluffed down. The ore vein had been drilled and blasted. Additional material fell from hanging wall.

May 24, 2008 NV · Metal/Non-Metal front-end loader operator POWERED HAULAGE
Ashdown Project LLC · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

1 yard loader was ribbed brakes did not hold

March 19, 2008 NV · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man STEPPING OR KNEELING ON OBJECT
Ashdown Project LLC · Struck against stationary object

Employee was stepping over 3' sandwall, stepped down an a 10"x10" timber on the front of his foot, causing the calf muscle to stretch.

March 19, 2008 NV · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, bull gang, faceman, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Ashdown Project LLC · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

Employee was dragging pipe down drift and over extended knee.

March 4, 2008 NV · Metal/Non-Metal underground transportation trainee HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Ashdown Project LLC · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Employee got cement over top of boots, did not wash out until end of shift, causing cement burns.

February 27, 2008 NV · Metal/Non-Metal underground transportation trainee HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Ashdown Project LLC · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

Cement went over rubber boots, employee did not wash out cement until end of shift.

February 12, 2008 NV · Metal/Non-Metal section foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift boss SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Ashdown Project LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was walking through the mud and twisted right knee. He felt his knee pop. Movement was very limited.

January 10, 2008 NV · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman MACHINERY
Ashdown Project LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was using a skilsaw to cut mine timbers. The saw kicked back and cut his right thigh.

January 9, 2008 NV · Metal/Non-Metal section foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift boss SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Ashdown Project LLC · Fall from ladders

Employee was climbing down ladder in raise, rocks started falling the employee scurried down to the bottom and jumped out of way landing wrong.

2007 · 3 incidents

November 8, 2007 NV · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Ashdown Project LLC · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

The employee was bolting underground getting rocks and cuttings in hair and hard hat. When employee was showering rock or dirt fell into his eye, this infected his eye and required cleaning out by doctor.

November 5, 2007 NV · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Ashdown Project LLC · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was moving slusher bucket. He slipped and fell, his right hand was caught between rib and bucket . The bucket smashed his finger right ring finger.

2006 · 3 incidents

November 19, 2006 NV · Metal/Non-Metal assayer, geologist, metallurgist, engineer, engineer management SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Golden Phoenix Minerals Inc. · Fall down raise, shaft or manway

Two miners were working in the raise, a third EE was part way up the raise. He heard a bang & saw the two miners go down. EE went up to see what happened & slipped then fell down the raise about 17'.

November 19, 2006 NV · Metal/Non-Metal bull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift boss FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Golden Phoenix Minerals Inc. · Struck by falling object

Two miners were in the face of the raise barring down & getting ready to put in a stull when a slab came down on them.

September 11, 2006 NV · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Golden Phoenix Minerals Inc. · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was taking lid from ball mill. When lid started to fall he tried to catch it resulting in injury.

2005 · 1 incident

October 3, 2005 NV · Metal/Non-Metal assayer, geologist, metallurgist, engineer, engineer management FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
Golden Phoenix Minerals Inc. · Struck by rolling or sliding object

Employee was a member of a crew of three men and was assisting the other miners in standing a set of timber in the face. The crew was digging for a foot block and placing a post when a 24"x24" slab slid off the right rib breaking his leg.

1983 · 3 incidents

March 28, 1983 NV · Metal/Non-Metal drill helper HANDLING OF MATERIALS
American Copper & Nickel Company Inc · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS UNSCREWING LOADING CHUTE, TUBE WAS DOWN. TUBE AND LOADING CHUTE CAME DOWN AND CAUGHT HAND BETWEEN DRILL FRAME AND LOADING CHUTE INJURING LITTLE FINGER ON RIGHT HAND.

January 8, 1983 NV · Metal/Non-Metal ledgeman/hand, quarry man MACHINERY
American Copper & Nickel Company Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS DRILLING A 6\ HOLE WITH A JACKLEG, THE COLLAR OF THE HOLE WAS CAVED IN MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PULL THE STEEL OUT OF THE HOLE. WHEN THE STEEL CAME LOOSE IT STRUCK HIM ON THE LEFT H AND