GRUNDY, Buchanan County,
VA
·
Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 4406868
Conaway Creek Deep Mine has $315K in proposed MSHA penalties and $173 outstanding across 45 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
17
Years on record
1997–2020
Latest incident
Feb 2020
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
1,004
citations
230
significant & substantial
$315,177
proposed penalties
$283,494
paid to date
90% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $31,683 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.
1,004 citations across 10,292 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Conaway Creek Deep Mine has $315K in proposed MSHA penalties and $173 outstanding across 45 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.
$315K
proposed penalties
$284K
current assessed
$283K
paid to date
$173
outstanding
988 assessments are final orders; 45 contested dockets.
Of $151K in penalties contested before the Commission, $118K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2020-07-07.
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.
156citations taken to the federal commission · 16% of citations on record
Settled
130 · 83%
Stood as issued
26 · 17%
95%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 111 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
22%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$151K proposed, $118K 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 2019-07-23.
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.
MSHA sampling at Conaway Creek Deep Mine shows 97% of 1,673 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: 2020-03-16, 6 years ago
97%
within 1.5 mg/m3
1,673
samples
4.86
dust max (mg/m3)
9
over MSHA ECV
ⓘThe excessive concentration value (ECV) is MSHA's own per-sample enforcement threshold, which builds in measurement uncertainty; a sample over its ECV can trigger a citation. The count covers only samples MSHA assigned an ECV.
413 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 1,260 by the operator.
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.
Health sampling trend
ⓘ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 by year
ⓘ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.
Conaway Creek Deep Mine recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2019.
Injury rate, 2019
ⓘ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 coal mining average was 3.39 and the all-US-mining average was 2.32 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 2.65 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
2019 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2018 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2017 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2016 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2015 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2014 *
4.28
4.28
0.000
2013 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2012 *
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
ⓘCoal production is reported quarterly and lags the current period; the most recent quarters may be incomplete.
Year
Employees
Coal produced (tons)
2020
14
8,292
2019
17
43,582
2018
17
57,216
2017
16
60,061
2016
16
59,240
2015
16
46,587
2014
16
63,015
2013
16
61,712
2012
18
62,539
2011
17
61,567
2010
21
62,627
2009
14
43,751
2008
13
46,891
2007
6
2002
0
2001
0
2000
0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Conaway Creek Deep Mine sits in Buchanan County, Virginia, where the Census mining category is 11.2% 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.
Buchanan County, Virginia · Population 19,857
11.2%
Mining share of county employment
$42,216
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 Q2
4,609
3
0
650.9
2020 Q1
9,741
53
8
5440.9
2019 Q4
12,082
51
9
4221.2
2019 Q3
11,237
7
0
622.9
2019 Q2
11,965
16
5
1337.2
2019 Q1
11,990
12
0
1000.8
2018 Q4
13,135
16
2
1218.1
2018 Q3
11,619
12
1
1032.8
Show 52 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2018 Q2
11,868
14
3
1179.6
2018 Q1
11,419
16
2
1401.2
2017 Q4
11,314
14
1
1237.4
2017 Q3
10,854
7
0
644.9
2017 Q2
11,589
5
0
431.4
2017 Q1
11,557
14
0
1211.4
2016 Q4
11,957
22
6
1839.9
2016 Q3
11,923
5
1
419.4
2016 Q2
12,234
10
2
817.4
2016 Q1
9,863
9
2
912.5
2015 Q4
11,387
16
4
1405.1
2015 Q3
12,075
7
2
579.7
2015 Q2
9,186
17
5
1850.6
2015 Q1
11,322
14
0
1236.5
2014 Q4
12,694
8
1
630.2
2014 Q3
11,764
16
4
1360.1
2014 Q2
11,694
19
2
1624.8
2014 Q1
10,529
12
2
1139.7
2013 Q4
11,109
13
2
1170.2
2013 Q3
10,182
16
7
1571.4
2013 Q2
11,255
23
6
2043.5
2013 Q1
10,832
15
6
1384.8
2012 Q4
10,086
37
10
3668.5
2012 Q3
11,264
50
15
4438.9
2012 Q2
12,256
21
5
1713.4
2012 Q1
11,157
33
14
2957.8
2011 Q4
11,082
14
0
1263.3
2011 Q3
9,917
39
6
3932.6
2011 Q2
10,603
34
8
3206.6
2011 Q1
10,480
52
11
4961.8
2010 Q4
10,758
7
3
650.7
2010 Q3
10,288
23
10
2235.6
2010 Q2
10,510
13
8
1236.9
2010 Q1
10,424
11
2
1055.3
2009 Q4
12,005
14
0
1166.2
2009 Q3
3,531
40
14
11328.2
2009 Q2
7,759
26
11
3350.9
2009 Q1
7,467
35
8
4687.3
2008 Q4
7,633
12
2
1572.1
2008 Q3
7,135
25
5
3503.9
2008 Q2
9,417
27
7
2867.2
2008 Q1
7,896
9
1
1139.8
2007 Q4
4,167
0
0
0.0
2002 Q1
0
0
0
2001 Q4
0
0
0
2001 Q3
0
0
0
2001 Q2
0
1
0
2001 Q1
0
0
0
2000 Q4
0
0
0
2000 Q3
0
0
0
2000 Q2
0
0
0
2000 Q1
0
0
0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
17 on file
2020 · 2 incidents
February 29, 2020VA · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)OTHER
First intersection inby intake portal fell approx. 8 ft. high, 16 ft. wide, 23 ft. long. Fall did not affect ventilation, all employees were immediately evacuated from the mine. No injuries resulted from this event.
2014 · 2 incidents
June 13, 2014VA · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Sometime during Christmas break a rock fall occurred in the left return at just inby SS# 2577. The fall was dangered off, timbered off and the travelway was re-routed around the fall. The fall was approx. 80' long, 20' wide, and 7' high.
2008 · 2 incidents
November 25, 2008VA · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorPOWERED HAULAGE
EE WAS SHOVELING SOME SPILLAGE ON TO BELT & SAIDHE HURT HIS BACK. HE HAD ONLY WORK 2 SHIFT AFTERCOMING BACK FROM INJURY. HE WAS BACK TO WORK WITH NO LIGHT DUTY REQURIMENTS
May 27, 1998VA · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)HANDLING OF MATERIALS
THE CYLINDER WAS BEING ALIGNED IN MRS WHEN THE CYLINDER ZSLIPPED AND I STRAIN MYSELF.
1997 · 1 incident
December 3, 1997VA · Coalroof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs)MACHINERY
Misty-Bec Coal Corp · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
EMPLOYEE WAS TRAMMING THE SR-100-LB PINNER FROM THE SURFACE TO THE FACE AREA WHEN HE MASHED HIS RIGHT FOOT BETWEEN THE DECK (OPER) AND COAL RIB. EMPLOYEE HAD HIS RIGHT FOOT HANGING OUT OF THE OPER. DECK WHILE MOVING THE PINNER.