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

Avant Mine: 234 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

Sandersville, Washington County, GA  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 0901088

Avant Mine has $65K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

Watch this mine

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

Fatalities
0
Total incidents
14
Years on record
1996–2025
Latest incident
Aug 2025
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
234
citations
62
significant & substantial
$65,066
proposed penalties
$65,066
paid to date
100% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $0 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Southeastern Performance Minerals, LLC's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
88
inspections on record
1,351
inspection hours
17.3
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.
234 citations across 1,351 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Avant Mine has $65K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 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.
$65K
proposed penalties
$65K
current assessed
$65K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
229 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-12-04.
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.
26.7%
significant & substantial
11.6%
high negligence or reckless
27.2%
reasonably likely or greater
53.4%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 4.7% low, 83.6% moderate, 11.6% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, 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: 2025-03-07
9%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
30
samples
11
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz31 over
  • Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz13
  • Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz5
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz5
Show the individual readings (30)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2017-04-26 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 22.77 10 2.28 Bagging Operator
2025-03-07 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.05 2.13 0.49 Bagging Operator
2025-03-07 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 1.83 10 0.18 Bagging Operator
2025-03-07 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.18 Front-end Loader Operator
2024-01-31 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.45 Ball Mill Operator
2024-01-31 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.91 Bagging Operator
2024-01-31 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2022-06-09 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.47 Bagging Operator
2022-06-09 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Bagging Operator
2022-06-09 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.24 10 0.02 Front-end Loader Operator
2018-04-18 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 3.06 10 0.31 Bagging Operator
2018-04-18 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.37 10 0.04 Bagging Operator
2018-04-18 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.37 10 0.04 Kiln/Dryer Operator
2017-06-08 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 2.95 10 0.30 Bagging Operator
2017-04-26 Nuisance dust, total, <1% Qtz 8.35 10 0.84 Dry Screen Plant Operator
2014-05-21 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 2.04 Ball Mill Operator
2014-05-21 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 1.25 Bagging Operator
2014-05-21 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.68 3.07 0.22 Washer Operator
2011-06-15 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 6.79 Bagging Operator
2011-06-15 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 1.38 Oiler, Greaser
2010-01-13 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.24 Flotation/Concentrator Oper.
2010-01-13 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 2.25 Bagging Operator
2010-01-13 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.3 Dredge/Barge Operator
2005-04-21 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.88 Bagging Operator
2005-04-21 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 2.25 Bagging Operator
2005-04-21 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.23 Washer Operator
2003-09-23 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Dredge/Barge Operator
2003-09-23 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Supervisor, Co. Official
2003-09-23 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.13 Front-end Loader Operator
2003-09-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.39 2.59 0.54 Bagging Operator
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.

Avant Mine recorded 3.30 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2025.

Injury rate, 2025
ⓘ 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.
3.30
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 1.65 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In Georgia, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.20 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
2025 * 3.30 0.00 0.000
2024 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2023 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2022 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2021 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2020 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2019 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2018 * 4.39 0.00 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. Georgia Industrial Minerals Inc 1995 to 2015
  2. Southeastern Performance Minerals, LLC 2015 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 38
2025 35
2024 31
2023 30
2022 29
2021 28
2020 25
2019 24
2018 25
2017 21
2016 21
2015 21
2014 28
2013 31
2012 31
2011 33
2010 35
2009 32
2008 36
2007 43
2006 46
2005 45
2004 41
2003 30
2002 29
2001 33
2000 30
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Avant Mine sits in Washington County, Georgia, where the Census mining category is 3.5% 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.
Washington County, Georgia · Population 19,893
3.5%
Mining share of county employment
$44,009
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
2026 Q2 18,323 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 15,443 0 0 0.0
2025 Q4 16,963 3 0 176.9
2025 Q3 14,815 2 0 135.0
2025 Q2 15,693 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 13,103 4 1 305.3
2024 Q4 14,857 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 13,536 0 0 0.0
Show 98 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 15,393 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 11,745 0 0 0.0
2023 Q4 13,907 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 11,734 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 13,593 6 0 441.4
2023 Q1 11,139 3 0 269.3
2022 Q4 12,524 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 11,460 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 13,177 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 10,698 2 0 187.0
2021 Q4 12,761 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 11,428 2 0 175.0
2021 Q2 13,619 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 12,993 3 0 230.9
2020 Q4 11,686 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 11,252 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 9,870 2 0 202.6
2020 Q1 11,705 1 0 85.4
2019 Q4 9,986 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 11,874 1 1 84.2
2019 Q2 10,887 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 10,952 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 10,815 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 11,844 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 11,563 4 1 345.9
2018 Q1 11,313 0 0 0.0
2017 Q4 9,691 1 1 103.2
2017 Q3 9,998 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 9,429 2 1 212.1
2017 Q1 10,326 1 0 96.8
2016 Q4 8,942 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 9,613 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 9,502 2 1 210.5
2016 Q1 9,762 2 0 204.9
2015 Q4 8,973 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 9,846 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 9,129 4 1 438.2
2015 Q1 8,885 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 10,480 3 0 286.3
2014 Q3 10,713 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 14,146 3 0 212.1
2014 Q1 16,478 2 0 121.4
2013 Q4 15,690 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 15,479 1 0 64.6
2013 Q2 15,821 0 0 0.0
2013 Q1 16,264 2 0 123.0
2012 Q4 15,517 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 16,563 6 1 362.3
2012 Q2 17,743 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 15,696 6 0 382.3
2011 Q4 16,479 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 18,367 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 18,406 3 0 163.0
2011 Q1 18,417 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 17,483 5 2 286.0
2010 Q3 14,956 6 2 401.2
2010 Q2 16,401 1 0 61.0
2010 Q1 22,770 12 6 527.0
2009 Q4 18,599 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 19,309 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 17,192 8 4 465.3
2009 Q1 15,461 2 0 129.4
2008 Q4 16,503 10 1 606.0
2008 Q3 18,288 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 22,790 10 4 438.8
2008 Q1 21,626 7 1 323.7
2007 Q4 21,883 1 1 45.7
2007 Q3 24,314 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 23,167 2 0 86.3
2007 Q1 20,842 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 20,746 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 22,705 7 2 308.3
2006 Q2 24,610 1 0 40.6
2006 Q1 22,390 1 0 44.7
2005 Q4 22,807 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 23,272 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 23,704 3 0 126.6
2005 Q1 22,725 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 23,407 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 22,098 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 22,843 8 1 350.2
2004 Q1 19,672 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 18,712 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 15,400 3 0 194.8
2003 Q2 15,505 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 13,989 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 14,074 10 3 710.5
2002 Q3 13,757 7 3 508.8
2002 Q2 13,255 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 16,932 3 1 177.2
2001 Q4 17,438 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 15,359 0 0 0.0
2001 Q2 17,682 8 1 452.4
2001 Q1 18,886 4 0 211.8
2000 Q4 18,094 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 17,276 4 1 231.5
2000 Q2 14,094 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 15,409 18 13 1168.1
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

14 on file

2025 · 1 incident

August 29, 2025 GA · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator MACHINERY
Southeastern Performance Minerals, LLC · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

Employee sustained a laceration to their right, middle finger from a fan that was not guarded. The guard had fallen off. A pre-shift inspection was not performed that day. Employee did receive medical treatment for the injury, offsite.

2018 · 1 incident

April 12, 2018 GA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Southeastern Performance Minerals, LLC · Struck against stationary object

Employee was using wrench to loosen bolt on piece of equipment. When bolt broke loose, employee's hand slipped. Left ring finger was cut on piece of metal. Finger required 4 stitched.

2009 · 1 incident

November 30, 2009 GA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech EXPLODING VESSELS UNDER PRESSURE
Georgia Industrial Minerals Inc · Struck by flying object

Dump truck was having brake problems. Driver parked truck on the road next to the oil shed for the diesel mechanic to inspect. The mechanic crawled underneath the truck to inspect brakes. As he was backing out from the truck, the side wall of the front inner tire on the driver's side blew out. It caused cuts & swelling to the face, eyes & right hand & hand is broken.

2005 · 2 incidents

April 18, 2005 GA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech MACHINERY
Georgia Industrial Minerals Inc · Contact with hot objects or substances

EE WAS USING AN ACETYLENE TORCH TO REPAIR HANDRAILS ON A MUD CAT DREDGE. A CAN OF ETHER BASED STARTER FLUID WAS CONTACTED BY THE TORCH OR A SPARK RUPTURED AND FLASH BURNED THE EE HANDS, ARMS AND FACE

January 7, 2005 GA · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator MACHINERY
Georgia Industrial Minerals Inc · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE THOUGHT THE CLASSIFIER REJECT LINE WAS "STOPPED UP". EE PROCEDED TO INSERT RIGHT GLOVED HAND UP A PIPE ATTACHED TO A ROTOR LOCK THAT WAS NOT LOCKED OUT. THE TIPS OF THE 3 MIDDLE FINGERS WERE CUT OFF.

2003 · 1 incident

July 3, 2003 GA · Metal/Non-Metal
Georgia Industrial Minerals Inc · -

EE IS A PLANT OPERATOR. HE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH A MILL OPERATED BY A 40 HP 480V ELECTRIC MOTOR. HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE MOTOR OFF WITH THE SAFETY KNIFE DISCONNECT LOCATED AT THE MOTOR IN STEAD OF USING ON/OFF SWITCH IN THE CONTROL ROOM 50'AWAY. HE APPARENTLY DISENGAGED THE KNIFE SWITCH SLOWLY RESULTING IN AN ELECTRIC ARC WHICH BLEW OUT AN INSTALLED AMP METER IN THE DOOR.

2002 · 2 incidents

December 16, 2002 GA · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Georgia Industrial Minerals Inc · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS TURNING ON A PUMP. OTHER WENT OUT THE DOOR TO SEE IF PUMP WAS TURNING WHEN THE BREAKER BOX TRIPPED AND FAILED CREATING A LOUD NOISE. THE NOISE WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF EE CAUSING A HEADACH E LATER THAT EVENING.

September 10, 2002 GA · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Georgia Industrial Minerals Inc · Fall from machine

EE WAS ON BASKET ON FORKLIFT, MISSTEPPED OFF, JAMMED RIGHT FOOT RESULTING IN FRACTURE.

2001 · 2 incidents

June 16, 2001 GA · Metal/Non-Metal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer MACHINERY
Georgia Industrial Minerals Inc · Struck by powered moving object

AT THE TIME OF THE INJURY THE OPERATOR WAS ATTEMPTING TO START THE DOZER BY CROSSING OUT THE SOLENOID ON THE STARTER. THE DOZER WAS IN A REVERSE GEAR & THROTTLE OPEN, WITH SAFETY LEVER IN THE UP POSITION. THIS RESULTED IN THE OPERATOR FALLING & BEING RUN OVER BY DOZER.

May 17, 2001 GA · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Georgia Industrial Minerals Inc · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

THREE MEN WERE REPAIRING A DRYER FEEDER. THE FORKLIFT HUNG ON AN AUGER. HIS MIDDLE FINGER ON RIGHT HAND CAUGHT BETWEEN AUGER AND FORKLIFT. FINGER CUT IN 5 PLACES.

2000 · 3 incidents

September 30, 2000 GA · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Georgia Industrial Minerals Inc · Fall to the walkway or working surface

EE WAS WASHING OUT BLUNGER WHEN SLIPPED & FELL & HIT GROIN AREA. EE DID NOT IMMEDIATELY REPORT INJURY

1996 · 1 incident

September 10, 1996 GA · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Georgia Industrial Minerals Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS HELPING TO DISCONNECT A PULL CABLE FROM AN OFF THE ROAD TRUCK WHEN THE CABLE HIT HIM IN THE MOUTH.