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: 589 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Columbus Project has $26K 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.
$26K
proposed penalties
$26K
current assessed
$26K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
104 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
Of $224 in penalties contested before the Commission, $224 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2019-04-30.
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.
2citations taken to the federal commission · 2% of citations on record
Stood as issued
2 · 100%
0%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$224 proposed, $224 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2008-10-22.
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: 2016-04-20, 10 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
6
samples
2
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Respirable dust, <.1mg4
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz2
Show the individual readings (6)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2016-04-20
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.37
1.79
0.21
Laborer, Bullgang
2016-04-20
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.15
1.51
0.10
Flotation/Concentrator Oper.
2015-05-28
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Mechanic
2015-05-28
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Lab Technician
2010-03-10
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Dredge/Barge Operator
2010-03-10
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
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.
Columbus Project recorded 29.60 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2010.
Injury rate, 2010
ⓘ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.
29.60
total case rate
9.87
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 2.68 and the all-US-mining average was 3.20 cases per 100 workers.
In Nevada, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 2.26 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.
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
2020
0
2019
3
2018
4
2017
7
2016
7
2015
4
2014
6
2013
9
2012
9
2011
9
2010
10
2009
3
2008
4
2002
0
2001
2
2000
6
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Columbus Project sits in Nye County, Nevada, where the Census mining category is 7.3% 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.
Nye County, Nevada · Population 53,207
7.3%
Mining share of county employment
$55,975
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
2020 Q1
0
0
0
2019 Q4
169
0
0
0.0
2019 Q3
1,256
0
0
0.0
2019 Q2
1,267
1
0
789.3
2019 Q1
1,294
0
0
0.0
2018 Q4
1,165
0
0
0.0
2018 Q3
1,193
0
0
0.0
2018 Q2
1,654
0
0
0.0
Show 51 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2018 Q1
2,431
0
0
0.0
2017 Q4
3,275
8
1
2442.7
2017 Q3
3,669
4
0
1090.2
2017 Q2
3,835
0
0
0.0
2017 Q1
3,319
4
3
1205.2
2016 Q4
3,547
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
3,168
0
0
0.0
2016 Q2
3,961
6
1
1514.8
2016 Q1
2,213
0
0
0.0
2015 Q4
1,568
2
0
1275.5
2015 Q3
1,981
0
0
0.0
2015 Q2
2,120
0
0
0.0
2015 Q1
1,851
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
1,816
1
0
550.7
2014 Q3
2,058
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
3,403
3
0
881.6
2014 Q1
3,916
2
0
510.7
2013 Q4
3,511
0
0
0.0
2013 Q3
3,765
0
0
0.0
2013 Q2
4,466
7
1
1567.4
2013 Q1
4,539
0
0
0.0
2012 Q4
4,161
1
0
240.3
2012 Q3
4,546
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
4,557
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
4,602
0
0
0.0
2011 Q4
4,231
1
1
236.4
2011 Q3
4,698
0
0
0.0
2011 Q2
4,509
1
1
221.8
2011 Q1
4,129
5
1
1210.9
2010 Q4
4,908
0
0
0.0
2010 Q3
7,257
1
0
137.8
2010 Q2
5,068
5
2
986.6
2010 Q1
3,040
5
1
1644.7
2009 Q4
1,749
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
1,776
6
2
3378.4
2009 Q2
2,279
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
1,461
4
0
2737.9
2008 Q4
2,111
0
0
0.0
2008 Q3
2,366
10
7
4226.5
2002 Q4
0
0
0
2002 Q3
0
0
0
2002 Q2
0
0
0
2002 Q1
0
0
0
2001 Q4
0
0
0
2001 Q3
0
0
0
2001 Q2
1,440
0
0
0.0
2001 Q1
1,980
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
2,768
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
3,024
0
0
0.0
2000 Q2
3,276
2
0
610.5
2000 Q1
2,400
6
5
2500.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
8 on file
2015 · 2 incidents
July 24, 2015NV · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Columbus SM LLC · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)
EE and another ee were using magnets to remove magnetic from an ore sample when they got too close to each other and the magnets slammed together trapping their fingers
2013 · 1 incident
August 26, 2013NV · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was on level 2 standing between the roll up door and the man door, there is a step down to the man door. Co-worker called her name, when she turned to answer her she took a step forgetting about the step down and lost her balance falling towards the man door and into the guard rail. Here left side contacted the second rail on impact resulting in a fractured rib.
2010 · 4 incidents
October 13, 2010NV · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
EE was walking around side hill on nature soil/rocks and a rock rolled under his feet, as he fell he tried to catch himself with his right arm the impact jammed his shoulder causing it to dislocate.
August 20, 2010NV · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorMACHINERY
While cutting an access door for a water line in the skirting of a mobile home. He was setting up the saw blade broke, kicking the blade back into his leg just below the knee.
June 23, 2010NV · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Columbus SM LLC · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances
While troweling recently poured cement, employee suffered minor abrasions on his knees. Subsequently, the abrasions reacted negatively to the cement and became inflamed. Employee obtained bandages from a first aid kit. He then went to Nye Regional Medical Center to receive further medical attention. A tetanus shot was received and no time was or will be lost.
Columbus SM LLC · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)
Employee's left hand ring finger was pinched by suspended load on curb. The pinch resulted in 13 stitches to the employee's finger. He returned to work the following day.
2008 · 1 incident
July 18, 2008NV · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Columbus SM LLC · Fall to lower level, (Not Elsewhere Classified)
While installing drain pipe for rake thickener, contractor was pushing pipe to line it up when he lost his footing and fell from a retaining wall. Contractor was not wearing appropriate safety gear, although it was present.