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Black Spring Mine: 236 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

Menefee Mining Corp · Surface
Cuba, Sandoval County, NM  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 2902107

Black Spring Mine has $59K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
6
Years on record
2001–2020
Latest incident
Mar 2020
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
236
citations
64
significant & substantial
$58,730
proposed penalties
$53,961
paid to date
92% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $4,769 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Menefee Mining Corp's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
97
inspections on record
1,348
inspection hours
17.5
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.
236 citations across 1,348 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Black Spring Mine has $59K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 1 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.
$59K
proposed penalties
$54K
current assessed
$54K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
218 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $10K in penalties contested before the Commission, $5K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-03-05.
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.
27.7%
significant & substantial
10.8%
high negligence or reckless
27.7%
reasonably likely or greater
41.6%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 6.1% low, 83.1% moderate, 10.8% 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.
3 citations taken to the federal commission · 1% of citations on record
  • Settled 3 · 100%
33%
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 3 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
50%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$10K proposed, $5K 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 2016-10-05.
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
CENT 2017-0008 Settlement Miller 2017 $10K → $5K
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: 2023-03-08, 3 years ago
24%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
40
samples
33
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz328 over
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg5
  • Aluminum oxide fumes1
  • Arsenic fumes1
Show the individual readings (54)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2016-09-13 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 2.03 1.78 1.14 Bagging Operator
2010-09-15 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.82 1.69 1.08 Laborer, Bullgang
2010-07-20 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 2.5 2.09 1.20 Laborer, Bullgang
2002-07-08 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 3.4 2.38 1.43 Bagging Operator
2001-10-30 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 4.59 2.16 2.13 Laborer, Bullgang
2001-10-30 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.25 1.18 1.06 Bagging Operator
2001-07-19 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 2.78 2.07 1.34 Laborer, Bullgang
2001-07-19 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 4.03 2.33 1.73 Bagging Operator
2023-03-08 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.91 1.92 0.47 Forklift Operator
2023-03-08 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.65 2.33 0.28 Bagging Operator
2022-08-02 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2022-08-02 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Backhoe Operator
2020-01-23 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.37 Cleanup Man
2020-01-23 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Cleanup Man
2018-01-18 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.47 0.97 0.48 Laborer, Bullgang
2018-01-18 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.14 0.73 0.19 Laborer, Bullgang
2018-01-18 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.41 0.84 0.49 Supervisor, Co. Official
2018-01-18 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.28 1.06 0.26 Laborer, Bullgang
2016-09-13 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1 1.77 0.56 Forklift Operator
2016-09-13 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.08 1.77 0.61 Bagging Operator
2013-11-14 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.59 1.75 0.34 Bagging Operator
2013-11-14 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.67 2.03 0.33 Front-end Loader Operator
2013-11-14 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.34 2.22 0.15 Kiln/Dryer Operator
2013-11-14 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.31 Supervisor, Co. Official
2010-09-15 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.18 1.77 0.67 Laborer, Bullgang
2010-09-15 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 1.52 1.75 0.87 Laborer, Bullgang
2010-07-20 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.49 1.74 0.28 Front-end Loader Operator
2010-07-20 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.29 2.02 0.14 Laborer, Bullgang
2007-01-24 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.75 1.91 0.39 Bagging Operator
2007-01-24 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.8 1.76 0.45 Bagging Operator
2003-01-30 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.48 1.58 0.30 Laborer, Bullgang
2003-01-30 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.31 1.15 0.27 Front-end Loader Operator
2003-01-30 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Mechanic
2003-01-30 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.25 1.06 0.24 Laborer, Bullgang
2002-07-08 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.81 2.11 0.38 Bagging Operator
2001-07-19 Zinc oxide fumes 0 5 0.00 Welder, etc.
2001-07-19 Vanadium fumes 0 50 0.00 Welder, etc.
2001-07-19 Titanium dioxide fumes 0 10 0.00 Welder, etc.
2001-07-19 Nickel fumes 0 1 0.00 Welder, etc.
2001-07-19 Molybdenum fumes 0 10 0.00 Welder, etc.
2001-07-19 Manganese fumes 0 5 0.00 Welder, etc.
2001-07-19 Magnesium oxide fumes 0 10 0.00 Welder, etc.
2001-07-19 Lead fumes 0 150 0.00 Welder, etc.
2001-07-19 Iron oxide fumes 0 10 0.00 Welder, etc.
2001-07-19 Copper fumes 0 100 0.00 Welder, etc.
2001-07-19 Cobalt fumes 0 100 0.00 Welder, etc.
2001-07-19 Chromium, insoluble 0 1 0.00 Welder, etc.
2001-07-19 Cadmium oxide fumes 0 100 0.00 Welder, etc.
2001-07-19 Beryllium fumes 0 2 0.00 Welder, etc.
2001-07-19 Arsenic fumes 0 500 0.00 Welder, etc.
2001-07-19 Aluminum oxide fumes 0 10 0.00 Welder, etc.
2001-07-19 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.93 1.89 0.49 Front-end Loader Operator
2001-07-19 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Mechanic
2001-07-19 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.23 1.93 0.12 Laborer, Bullgang
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.

Black Spring Mine recorded 0.00 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.
0.00
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below 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 New Mexico, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.67 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 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2024 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2023 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2021 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2020 * 9.88 9.88 0.000
2019 * 8.90 0.00 0.000
2018 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2017 * 0.00 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. Menefee Mining Corp 1993 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 9
2025 13
2024 14
2023 12
2022 13
2021 15
2020 13
2019 16
2018 14
2017 13
2016 14
2015 13
2014 12
2013 10
2012 9
2011 8
2010 9
2009 6
2008 6
2007 6
2006 6
2005 7
2004 8
2003 9
2002 9
2001 8
2000 7
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Black Spring Mine sits in Sandoval County, New Mexico, where the Census mining category is 0.3% 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.
Sandoval County, New Mexico · Population 151,538
0.3%
Mining share of county employment
$84,053
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 4,354 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 4,572 0 0 0.0
2025 Q4 5,068 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 6,110 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 6,925 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 5,221 3 0 574.6
2024 Q4 4,649 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 5,788 5 1 863.9
Show 98 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 6,190 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 5,951 12 1 2016.5
2023 Q4 5,915 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 6,104 2 1 327.7
2023 Q2 6,041 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 4,963 3 1 604.5
2022 Q4 4,975 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 4,813 1 0 207.8
2022 Q2 5,461 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 4,578 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 5,446 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 5,836 6 0 1028.1
2021 Q2 6,343 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 4,626 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 5,032 2 0 397.5
2020 Q3 4,581 5 1 1091.5
2020 Q2 5,294 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 5,329 5 0 938.3
2019 Q4 4,864 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 6,272 0 0 0.0
2019 Q2 6,149 3 0 487.9
2019 Q1 5,193 1 0 192.6
2018 Q4 5,412 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 5,404 2 0 370.1
2018 Q2 6,127 0 0 0.0
2018 Q1 5,120 3 1 585.9
2017 Q4 4,829 0 0 0.0
2017 Q3 5,055 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 5,664 1 1 176.6
2017 Q1 5,305 1 0 188.5
2016 Q4 4,650 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 5,561 8 2 1438.6
2016 Q2 5,975 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 6,242 3 1 480.6
2015 Q4 5,144 8 2 1555.2
2015 Q3 4,965 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 5,315 10 2 1881.5
2015 Q1 3,915 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 4,180 10 2 2392.3
2014 Q3 4,280 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 5,301 10 4 1886.4
2014 Q1 4,886 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 5,590 10 3 1788.9
2013 Q3 5,300 4 3 754.7
2013 Q2 5,181 0 0 0.0
2013 Q1 4,496 1 0 222.4
2012 Q4 4,139 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 4,006 3 1 748.9
2012 Q2 3,585 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 3,155 0 0 0.0
2011 Q4 4,019 8 4 1990.5
2011 Q3 4,399 5 3 1136.6
2011 Q2 4,113 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 4,356 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 4,571 3 2 656.3
2010 Q3 4,477 4 2 893.5
2010 Q2 3,035 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 1,609 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 2,420 2 0 826.4
2009 Q3 2,558 6 2 2345.6
2009 Q2 2,764 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 2,196 3 1 1366.1
2008 Q4 2,384 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 2,404 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 2,803 2 2 713.5
2008 Q1 2,268 9 3 3968.3
2007 Q4 2,289 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 2,367 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 2,310 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 2,305 4 0 1735.4
2006 Q4 2,122 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 2,361 8 4 3388.4
2006 Q2 1,877 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 2,287 6 0 2623.5
2005 Q4 2,555 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 2,691 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 2,811 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 2,901 1 0 344.7
2004 Q4 2,991 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 3,006 2 0 665.3
2004 Q2 3,404 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 4,226 2 0 473.3
2003 Q4 4,126 1 0 242.4
2003 Q3 3,961 2 1 504.9
2003 Q2 4,013 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 4,262 9 0 2111.7
2002 Q4 3,919 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 4,129 1 0 242.2
2002 Q2 3,890 5 1 1285.3
2002 Q1 3,415 6 3 1757.0
2001 Q4 3,352 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 3,504 3 0 856.2
2001 Q2 3,366 5 1 1485.4
2001 Q1 3,320 3 2 903.6
2000 Q4 2,733 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 3,288 1 0 304.1
2000 Q2 3,968 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 3,886 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

6 on file

2020 · 1 incident

March 21, 2020 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator MACHINERY
Menefee Mining Corp · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE while working with Task Trainer stated EE saw trainer walk to the panel and assumed trainer had shut down the dryer. EE then reached in to adjust bolts on the rotary valve and 2 of EE's finger tips were sliced.

2019 · 1 incident

September 13, 2019 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator POWERED HAULAGE
Menefee Mining Corp · Struck against a moving object

Forklift operator was loading a van. Loader's co-worker was supervising the load & truck driver was inside cab. Operator was loading the last pallet when the driver attempted to pull forward causing forklift with operator to wedge between dock & van. Operator was wearing PPE & the van was chalked.

2015 · 1 incident

August 18, 2015 NM · Metal/Non-Metal outside foreman, leadman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Menefee Mining Corp · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was using a razor blade to cut crown bar rubber during the installation of a new bagging system. Razor blade slipped and cut his right leg (about an inch wide and inch deep).

2014 · 1 incident

April 15, 2014 NM · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator MACHINERY
Menefee Mining Corp · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Employee tried to grease a bearing while the machine was still running. He has been trained on how to operate this piece of equipment and knew that it was NECESSARY to turn the machine OFF BEFORE any maintenance was to be done. As a result, he slipped and broke his finger.

2010 · 1 incident

April 7, 2010 NM · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman MACHINERY
Menefee Mining Corp · Struck by flying object

While working on a maintenance project, EE was drilling a small pilot hole to attach a cover to the oversize conveyor on the Red Screening Plant when a piece of metal became airborne and struck EE in the right eye. PPE was and is provided and readily available but EE was not utilizing it at the time.

2001 · 1 incident

August 31, 2001 NM · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Menefee Mining Corp · Fall from ladders

EE WAS WORKING IN THE NEW CONSTRUCTION AREA OF THE PROCESSING PLANT WHEN HE SLIPPED AND FELL OFFA LADDER. ALTHOUGH "SPOTTERS" OR LADDER HOLDERS ARE AVAILABLE, HE OPTED NOT TO TELL ANYONE HE WA S GOING UP THE LADDER. THE DOCTOR SAID HE HAD A "BRUISED BUTTOCK" AND WOULD BE O.K. AFTER A SHORT TIME.