Mining Incidents

Flatonia Mines & Plant: 147 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

Controlled by Frank Shemanski
Flatonia, Fayette County, TX  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 4100308

Flatonia Mines & Plant has $45K in proposed MSHA penalties and $772 outstanding across 5 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
12
Years on record
1984–1996
Latest incident
May 1996
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
147
citations
46
significant & substantial
$44,559
proposed penalties
$36,627
paid to date
82% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $7,932 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2001
74
inspections on record
871
inspection hours
n/a
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: 871 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Imminent-danger orders
A Section 107(a) order removes miners from an area when an inspector finds an imminent danger. Each order is lifted once the condition is corrected, so this counts orders issued, not orders now in effect.
1
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2012-08-28.
On record since 2012.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.

Flatonia Mines & Plant has $45K in proposed MSHA penalties and $772 outstanding across 5 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.
$45K
proposed penalties
$37K
current assessed
$37K
paid to date
$772
outstanding
138 assessments are final orders; 5 contested dockets.
Of $11K in penalties contested before the Commission, $3K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-06-09.
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.
32.2%
significant & substantial
14.0%
high negligence or reckless
31.5%
reasonably likely or greater
41.3%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 7.0% low, 79.0% moderate, 13.3% high, 0.7% 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.
8 citations taken to the federal commission · 5% of citations on record
  • Settled 6 · 75%
  • Vacated or withdrawn 2 · 25%
63%
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 8 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
76%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$11K proposed, $3K 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 2012-11-19.
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 2011-522M Settlement Miller 2012 $8K → $1K
CENT 2013-111M Settlement Simonton 2013 $1K → $408
CENT 2007-288M Settlement Bulluck 2008 $946 → $800
CENT 2011-523M Settlement Lesnick 2011 $308 → $308
CENT20000148M Settlement Cetti 2000 $131 → $90
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: 2025-06-04
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
11
samples
6
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz6
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg4
  • Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz1
Show the individual readings (11)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2025-06-04 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.32 1.28 0.25 Forklift Operator
2018-11-06 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Bagging Operator
2018-11-06 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.5 1.03 0.49 Bagging Operator
2018-11-06 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Bobcat Operator
2009-06-17 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.17 0.96 0.18 Bagging Operator
2009-06-17 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Bobcat Operator
2009-06-17 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Bagging Operator
2002-04-24 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.38 1.2 0.32 Kiln/Dryer Operator
2002-04-24 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.15 1.66 0.09 Forklift Operator
2002-04-24 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.65 1.99 0.33 Bagging Operator
2002-04-24 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.32 Bobcat 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.

Flatonia Mines & Plant recorded 0.00 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2012.

Injury rate, 2012
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
No reportable injury cases in any year shown. Employee-hours were reported in each of those years, so these are true zeros rather than missing data. Citations, listed in the compliance record above, are inspector-found violations and are counted separately from worker injuries.
Below average. The US metal and nonmetal mining average was 2.48 and the all-US-mining average was 2.96 cases per 100 workers.
In Texas, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 2.82 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
2012 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2011 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2010 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2009 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2008 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2006 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2001 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
2000 * 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. Milwhite Inc 1950 to 1992
  2. Mid-Tex Minerals Inc 1992 to 1995
  3. Mid-Tex Minerals Inc 1995 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 3
2025 2
2024 4
2023 3
2022 4
2021 4
2020 4
2019 5
2018 5
2017 5
2016 6
2015 6
2014 7
2013 8
2012 9
2011 10
2010 11
2009 10
2008 10
2007 9
2006 10
2005 10
2004 9
2003 9
2002 10
2001 12
2000 12
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Flatonia Mines & Plant sits in Fayette County, Texas, where the Census mining category is 1.6% 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.
Fayette County, Texas · Population 24,783
1.6%
Mining share of county employment
$76,541
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 1,972 5 0 2535.5
2026 Q1 1,526 0 0 0.0
2025 Q4 1,331 2 0 1502.6
2025 Q3 1,606 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 1,597 2 0 1252.3
2025 Q1 1,469 2 0 1361.5
2024 Q4 0 0 0
2024 Q3 2,016 0 0 0.0
Show 97 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 2,640 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 1,613 0 0 0.0
2023 Q4 1,721 2 0 1162.1
2023 Q3 2,122 1 0 471.3
2023 Q2 2,101 2 1 951.9
2023 Q1 2,128 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 1,754 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 2,292 1 1 436.3
2022 Q2 787 1 0 1270.6
2022 Q1 680 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 2,144 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 2,667 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 2,781 3 1 1078.7
2021 Q1 2,484 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 2,428 2 0 823.7
2020 Q3 2,919 3 0 1027.7
2020 Q2 2,188 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 3,221 1 0 310.5
2019 Q4 2,785 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 3,465 3 0 865.8
2019 Q2 3,009 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 3,352 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 2,779 3 0 1079.5
2018 Q3 3,168 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 3,267 3 2 918.3
2018 Q1 3,406 5 2 1468.0
2017 Q4 2,821 0 0 0.0
2017 Q3 3,105 2 0 644.1
2017 Q2 3,104 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 3,242 5 4 1542.3
2016 Q4 3,069 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 3,706 6 2 1619.0
2016 Q2 3,625 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 3,166 2 1 631.7
2015 Q4 3,128 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 3,976 5 4 1257.5
2015 Q2 3,568 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 3,403 5 1 1469.3
2014 Q4 3,610 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 4,490 2 0 445.4
2014 Q2 4,729 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 3,726 2 0 536.8
2013 Q4 3,604 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 4,320 3 2 694.4
2013 Q2 4,365 0 0 0.0
2013 Q1 4,006 2 0 499.3
2012 Q4 4,289 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 5,052 9 5 1781.5
2012 Q2 6,002 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 6,264 3 2 478.9
2011 Q4 6,092 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 6,530 1 0 153.1
2011 Q2 6,858 0 0 0.0
2011 Q1 6,885 3 3 435.7
2010 Q4 6,818 0 0 0.0
2010 Q3 7,664 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 6,706 7 4 1043.8
2010 Q1 6,572 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 5,774 2 1 346.4
2009 Q3 4,873 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 5,112 1 0 195.6
2009 Q1 5,343 2 0 374.3
2008 Q4 5,523 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 5,542 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 5,969 0 0 0.0
2008 Q1 4,927 0 0 0.0
2007 Q4 4,851 2 0 412.3
2007 Q3 4,837 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 5,015 1 1 199.4
2007 Q1 5,280 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 5,736 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 5,774 2 0 346.4
2006 Q2 5,657 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 4,786 4 1 835.8
2005 Q4 4,692 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 4,700 8 0 1702.1
2005 Q2 4,376 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 4,344 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 4,266 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 4,395 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 4,250 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 4,895 0 0 0.0
2003 Q4 4,386 2 0 456.0
2003 Q2 4,256 2 2 469.9
2003 Q1 4,206 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 3,846 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 4,411 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 5,140 10 2 1945.5
2002 Q1 5,427 6 2 1105.6
2001 Q4 5,322 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 5,559 0 0 0.0
2001 Q2 5,788 4 1 691.1
2001 Q1 5,757 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 5,541 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 5,100 0 0 0.0
2000 Q2 5,418 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 5,946 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

12 on file

1996 · 2 incidents

May 24, 1996 TX · Metal/Non-Metal prep plant foreman, supervisor, mill plant supervisor, kiln supervisor SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Mid-Tex Minerals Inc · Fall from machine

EE WAS GETTING DOWN FROM THE BOTTOM OF A MATERIAL STORAGE TANK, HE SLIPPED AND FELL 5-6 FT TO THE GROUND.

April 2, 1996 TX · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman POWERED HAULAGE
Mid-Tex Minerals Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

EMPLOYEE MISJUDGED DISTANCE OF FORKLIFT WITH PALLET OF MATERIAL AS IT WAS BEING LOWERED ONTO THE FLOOR.

1994 · 3 incidents

December 12, 1994 TX · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Mid-Tex Minerals Inc · Fall from machine

FELL WILE GETTING DOWN FROM TRUCK.

January 24, 1994 TX · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Mid-Tex Minerals Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

LIFTING BAGGED MATERIAL & INJURED BACK

1991 · 2 incidents

December 18, 1991 TX · Metal/Non-Metal prep plant foreman, supervisor, mill plant supervisor, kiln supervisor POWERED HAULAGE
Milwhite Inc · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

INJURED WAS ATTEMPTING TO GET A CLAY SAMPLE AND HIS HAND GOT CAUGHT IN THE CONVEYOR SCREW.

May 8, 1991 TX · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Milwhite Inc · Fall to the walkway or working surface

CLEANING FEEDER CHUTE TO DRYER SLIPPED AND FELL

1990 · 2 incidents

December 5, 1990 TX · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator STEPPING OR KNEELING ON OBJECT
Milwhite Inc · Struck against stationary object

WHILE WORKING IN THE WAREHOUSE, INJURED STEPPED CROOKED AND TWISTED HIS ANKLE.

February 9, 1990 TX · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator MACHINERY
Milwhite Inc · Struck by flying object

EMPLOYEE WAS USING A CUTTING TORCH TO REPAIR A CONVEYOR WHEN A PARTICLE WENT INTO HIS EYE. THE DCOTRO FOUND NO FOREIGN OBJECT IN THE EYE. JUST AN IRRITATION.

1989 · 1 incident

March 1, 1989 TX · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Milwhite Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

INJURED WAS PUTTING 50# BAGS OF CLAY ONTO PALLETS WHEN E STRAINED HIS BACK

1988 · 1 incident

July 19, 1988 TX · Metal/Non-Metal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Milwhite Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

INJURED WAS USING A HAMMER AND HOLE PUNCH. HE HIT THE HOLE PUNCH WITH THE HAMMER AND A PIECE OF STEEL BROKE OFF THE HAMMER AND LODGED IN HIS HAND.

1984 · 1 incident

February 20, 1984 TX · Metal/Non-Metal prep plant foreman, supervisor, mill plant supervisor, kiln supervisor MACHINERY
Milwhite Inc · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances

SODA ASH QUIT FLOWING FROM TANK AND EMPLOYEE PROCEEDED TO CLEAR THE RESTRICTED FLOW THE CHEMICAL BROKE LOOSE AND GOT IN THE INJUREDS EYES