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: 723 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Darling Mine has $13K in proposed MSHA penalties and $4K outstanding across 3 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.
$13K
proposed penalties
$12K
current assessed
$8K
paid to date
$4K
outstanding
74 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $2K in penalties contested before the Commission, $1K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-02-10.
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.
9citations taken to the federal commission · 12% of citations on record
Settled
8 · 89%
Vacated or withdrawn
1 · 11%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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%
53%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$2K proposed, $1K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2020-03-23.
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.
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: 2026-02-10
16
samples
0
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Respirable dust, <.1mg7
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz4
Unlisted Particulate, total, <1% Qtz3
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz2
Show the individual readings (16)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2026-02-10
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.2
Utility Man
2026-02-10
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.15
Utility Man
2021-05-19
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.12
Front-end Loader Operator
2021-05-19
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2018-11-09
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2018-11-09
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Supervisor, Co. Official
2017-04-06
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Supervisor, Co. Official
2017-04-06
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2014-05-15
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.19
Front-end Loader Operator
2014-05-15
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.29
Welder, etc.
2010-10-06
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Bulldozer Operator
2010-10-06
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2010-10-06
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.19
Mechanic
2005-06-28
Unlisted Particulate, total, <1% Qtz
0.31
Truck Driver
2005-06-28
Unlisted Particulate, total, <1% Qtz
0.62
Bulldozer Operator
2005-06-28
Unlisted Particulate, total, <1% Qtz
0.25
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.
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year
Employees
2026
4
2025
4
2024
3
2023
3
2022
3
2021
2
2020
2
2019
2
2018
2
2017
2
2016
2
2015
2
2014
3
2013
4
2012
3
2011
3
2010
4
2009
4
2008
4
2007
5
2006
6
2005
6
2004
6
2003
5
2002
5
2001
6
2000
9
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Darling Mine sits in Coconino County, Arizona, where the Census mining category is 0.2% 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.
Coconino County, Arizona · Population 144,643
0.2%
Mining share of county employment
$69,748
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
Oldcastle-Superlite · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects
EE was hitting troughing roller with hammer to free it from rocks. EE's left hand and forearm were pulled between roller and conveyor belt. EE was able to pull his arm free.
2006 · 1 incident
November 13, 2006AZ · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Two employees were removing a front windshield panel in a D9H rops when the safety glass broke and cut the employee on the upper lip, causing a 1" laceration. Cold weather is assumed to be the cause of the break in the glass. He was administered first-aid. The employee was transported to a medical facility and received 5 stitches and no type of pain medication. Released to work.
Oldcastle-Superlite · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
IT HAD SNOWED THE NIGHT BEFORE AND R.R. CARS WOULD NOT MOVE SO EMPLOYEE WAS USING A CONTILIEVER BAR TO MOVE CARS WHEN THEY BEGAN TO ROLL THE EMPLOYEE GOT HIS RIGHT HAND CAUGHT BETWEEN CAR AND BAR BREAKING HIS MIDDLE FINGER ON RIGHT HAND.
1999 · 2 incidents
September 24, 1999AZ · Metal/Non-Metalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Oldcastle-Superlite · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
EE HAD A ROCK LODGED IN THE TAILGATE AND WAS TRYING TO DISLODGE THE ROCK BY LIFTING THE TAILGATE. THE EE CAUGHT RIGHT RING FINGER IN TAILGATE AND FRACTURED IT.
EE HAD COMPLETED REPAIRS ON HIS DUMP TRUCK, WAS ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE CHOCK UNDER LEFT REAR TIRE BY KICKING IT. UPON RAISING HIS LEG, HE FELT HIS KNEE POP AND COULD NOT FULLY STRAIGHTEN LEG.
1998 · 1 incident
January 12, 1998AZ · Metal/Non-Metalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
EMPLOYEE WAS LOADING RAILROAD CARS WITH CINDERS, STEPPED ACROSS FROM ONE CAR TO ANOTHER, MISSED STEP STRUCK KNEE AGAINST CAR. INITIAL DIAGNOSIS FLOATING BODY IN THE KNEE MAY REQUIRE SURGERY.
1989 · 1 incident
October 26, 1989AZ · Metal/Non-Metalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
WHILE REPAIRING WINDSHIELD WIPER TURNED SWITCH OFF 75% DURING REPAIR WITH EQUIP ON IDLE,SWITCH VIBRATED TO ON POSITION CATCHING FINGER BETWEEN WIPER ARM AND MOTOR.LACERATION OF NAIL BED AND N AIL AVULSION LEFT RING MIDDLE FINGER.
1983 · 1 incident
February 24, 1983AZ · Metal/Non-Metalfront-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operatorHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
USING CHISEL TO KNOCK PART OF DRIVE CHAIN WEDGED UNDER COUNTER BALANCE-WHEN CHAIN GAVE WAY,FINGERS WERE CAUGHT BETWEEN CHISEL AND STEEL PLATE UNDER COUNTER BALANCE.