Black Bear Surface Mine: 2 MSHA citations
Coal
Dante,
Russell County,
VA
·
Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 4406886
Black Bear Surface Mine has $145 in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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- Fatalities
- 0
- Total incidents
- 3
- Years on record
- 1998–1999
- Latest incident
- Jan 1999
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
1
significant & substantial
100% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $0 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
n/a
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.
Rate withheld: 68 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Black Bear Surface Mine has $145 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.
2 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2000-07-20.
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.
50.0%
significant & substantial
0.0%
high negligence or reckless
50.0%
reasonably likely or greater
50.0%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 50.0% low, 50.0% moderate, 0.0% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
MSHA sampling at Black Bear Surface Mine shows 100% of 3 respirable coal dust samples met the 1.5 mg/m3 standard.
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.
Respirable coal dust
ⓘ
Respirable coal dust and silica figures cover coal facilities. Dust compliance is measured against the current 1.5 mg/m3 standard; samples predating the 2014 standard are included, so compliance rates are a coarse historical signal.
Last sampled: 2000-07-20, 26 years ago
2 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 1 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
- BULLDOZER OPERATOR1
- HIGHWALL DRILL OPERATOR1
- STRIPPING SHOVEL OPERATOR1
Silica (quartz)
Last sampled: 2000-07-26, 26 years ago
Noise
ⓘ
The share counts noise samples whose measured dose exceeded the 90 dBA permissible exposure limit. It describes the sampled workplace, not what reached the miner's ear: hearing conservation programs and the hearing protection worn during the shift are recorded separately and are not reflected here.
Last sampled: 2000-05-22, 26 years ago
Most-sampled occupations
- BULLDOZER OPERATOR2
- BACKHOE OPERATOR1
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Ownership history
-
Motivation Coal Company
1997 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
| Year |
Employees |
| 2001 |
0 |
| 2000 |
0 |
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Black Bear Surface Mine sits in Russell County, Virginia, where the Census mining category is 4.5% 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.
Russell County, Virginia · Population 25,635
4.5%
Mining share of county employment
$49,020
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 |
| 2001 Q1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| 2000 Q4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| 2000 Q3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
| 2000 Q2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| 2000 Q1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
3 on file
1999 · 1 incident
EE STATES WHILE MAKING A SALES CALL AT BLACK BEAR I STEPPED OUT OF MY TRUCK WHILE THEY SET OFF A SHOT AND SLIPPED ON THE ICE AND SNOW TWISTING MY BACK AND LANDING ON MY RIGHT KNEE. THIS HAPPEN ED AT 2:53 PM.
1998 · 2 incidents
October 14, 1998
VA · Coal
haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver
POWERED HAULAGE
TRUCK STARTED DOWN STEEP INCLINE. SOMETHING BROKE IN ONE OF THE GEAR BOXES. TRUCK WAS LIKE IN NEUTRAL. COULD NOT STOP. DRIVER JUMPED FROM TRUCK; INJURING BOTH ARMS AND ONE KNEE.
May 7, 1998
VA · Coal
maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech
HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Motivation Coal Company · Over-exertion in lifting objects
TWO EMPLOYEES WERE CARRYING A PUMP, THAT WEIGHED APPROX. 100 POUNDS, TO INSTALL ON THE MACHINE. WHEN THE PUMP WAS SET DOWN ON THE GROUND PRIOR TO INSTALLATION, EE FELT A SHARP PAIN IN HS LOWER BACK. INJURY OCCURRED DUE TO POSSIBLE IMPROPER LIFTING TECHNIQUE.