Black Spur Quarry has $71K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 7 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
17
Years on record
2001–2021
Latest incident
Dec 2021
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
152
citations
22
significant & substantial
$71,306
proposed penalties
$61,853
paid to date
87% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $9,453 gap.
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.
152 citations across 1,180 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Black Spur Quarry has $71K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 7 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.
$71K
proposed penalties
$62K
current assessed
$62K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
150 assessments are final orders; 7 contested dockets.
Of $20K in penalties contested before the Commission, $6K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-04-20.
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.
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.
22citations taken to the federal commission · 14% of citations on record
Settled
17 · 77%
Vacated or withdrawn
5 · 23%
45%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 11 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
68%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$20K proposed, $6K 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 2018-02-22.
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.
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: 2025-03-26
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
23
samples
10
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz7
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz6
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz5
Respirable dust, <.1mg5
Show the individual readings (23)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2025-03-26
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.4
Laborer, Bullgang
2025-03-26
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Laborer, Bullgang
2022-11-30
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Building Repair/Maint.
2022-11-30
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
1.2
Building Repair/Maint.
2022-11-30
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.85
Building Repair/Maint.
2022-11-30
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.7
Building Repair/Maint.
2018-05-23
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.13
10
0.01
Welder, etc.
2018-05-23
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.28
10
0.03
Welder, etc.
2017-06-29
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.39
1.08
0.36
Mechanic
2017-06-29
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2015-12-02
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.87
2.82
0.31
Dry Screen Plant Operator
2015-12-02
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Dry Screen Plant Operator
2011-11-16
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.71
2.19
0.32
Dry Screen Plant Operator
2011-11-16
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.23
10
0.02
Mechanic
2011-11-16
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2008-04-17
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.12
10
0.01
Front-end Loader Operator
2008-04-17
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
8.71
10
0.87
Dump Operator
2006-07-18
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.68
2.4
0.28
Crusher Oper/Worker
2002-01-16
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.9
Mechanic
2002-01-16
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.14
Front-end Loader Operator
2002-01-16
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.44
2.43
0.59
Truck Driver
2002-01-16
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.2
Truck Driver
2002-01-16
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.38
Front-end Loader 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.
Black Spur Quarry 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 Texas, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.17 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
2022 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2021
0.00
0.00
0.000
2020 *
13.54
0.00
0.000
2019 *
4.32
0.00
0.000
2018 *
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.
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year
Employees
2026
26
2025
28
2024
34
2023
35
2022
32
2021
37
2020
11
2019
33
2018
35
2017
36
2016
30
2015
38
2014
22
2013
28
2012
22
2011
23
2010
23
2009
20
2008
18
2007
18
2006
12
2005
9
2004
15
2003
17
2002
14
2001
19
2000
7
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Black Spur Quarry sits in Uvalde County, Texas, where the Census mining category is 2.8% 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.
Uvalde County, Texas · Population 24,810
2.8%
Mining share of county employment
$57,849
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
Conditions were dry, and clear. Poor hand placement while wrecking concrete footing forms. Laceration to the employees right hand was approximately an inch in length and approximately half an inch deep.
EE had clocked out at the end of shift and was exiting the building via stairs. It had recently rained and the EE slipped and fell. Bruising the left triceps and left mid-back.
June 26, 2019TX · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerPOWERED HAULAGE
Employee hit tip of finger with a hammer while seating a bearing on equipment. Gloves were in use. Accident was treated as a first aid until 10/15/2015 when infection set in and he was taken for a higher level of care. Employee is restricted with use of left hand.
Employee was being loaded and the truck shook. As material was being placed in the truck the employee was looking out his side mirror and says he felt his neck pop. Employee has a stiff neck.
Employee was cleaning the bottom hopper when the flowing material forced the hatch open pinning employee's leg to the railing which made a small cut on his left leg.
April 23, 2014TX · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techMACHINERY
Employee was unchocking cone crusher with a pry bar and as he lifted the pry bar to reposition it, he felt a sharp pain in his back resulting in a lower and upper back strain.
2010 · 1 incident
February 27, 2010TX · Metal/Non-Metalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was fueling a welder on a maintenance truck. He was fueling it with a gas can and when he went to fuel it he slipped and injured his knee as he fell.
2009 · 3 incidents
August 1, 2009TX · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Employee was removing a panel to do maintenance on a bearing. While doing so the employee used a small sledge hammer against a chipping hammer to remove the panel. A piece of metal came off of the chipping hammer and became imbedded in the employee's hand.
June 17, 2009TX · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE was laying on rear tire to remove access panel. After removing bolts from panel, he jerked on the panel to remove it and heard a pop in his right elbow and felt pain.
April 3, 2009TX · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was changing bolts on the crusher and finished on one side and went to work on the other and slipped. Employee injured left shoulder when he slipped and tried to grab himself.
2001 · 1 incident
January 19, 2001TX · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Smyth Mines Llp · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)
EE PUT HIS FOOT UNDE ROTOR BEING TIGHTENED UNKNOWINGLY WHEN COWORKER TIGHTENED THE BOLTS MOVING ROTOR TO NEXT BOLT AND PINCHED EE'S FOOT JUST BEHIND THE STEEL TOE IN HIS BOOT.
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