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.
239 citations across 1,704 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.
Goretown Mine has $84K in proposed MSHA penalties and $1K outstanding across 4 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.
$84K
proposed penalties
$69K
current assessed
$68K
paid to date
$1K
outstanding
238 assessments are final orders; 4 contested dockets.
Of $19K in penalties contested before the Commission, $3K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-03-03.
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.
3citations taken to the federal commission · 1% of citations on record
Settled
3 · 100%
67%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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%
89%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$17K proposed, $2K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2023-09-26.
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: 2023-01-11, 3 years ago
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
22
samples
10
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Respirable dust, <.1mg12
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz8
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz2
Show the individual readings (22)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2023-01-11
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2023-01-11
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.29
10
0.03
Mechanic
2023-01-11
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Backhoe Operator
2023-01-11
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.41
10
0.04
Dry Screen Plant Operator
2021-08-03
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2021-08-03
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.12
10
0.01
Dragline Operator
2021-08-03
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.38
10
0.04
Screen/Scalper Operator
2021-08-03
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2021-08-03
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.14
10
0.01
Utility Man
2016-02-10
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Front-end Loader Operator
2016-02-10
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Crusher Oper/Worker
2016-02-10
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Truck Driver
2016-02-10
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Dragline Operator
2010-07-14
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.52
10
0.05
Truck Driver
2010-07-14
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Backhoe Operator
2010-07-14
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Oiler, Greaser
2010-07-14
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Bulldozer Operator
2004-03-03
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.25
0.61
0.41
Crusher Oper/Worker
2004-03-03
Respirable dust, <.1mg
0
Supervisor, Co. Official
2004-03-03
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.12
10
0.01
Truck Driver
2004-03-03
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.24
1.83
0.13
Truck Driver
2004-03-03
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
0.13
10
0.01
Utility Man
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.
Goretown Mine 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
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 1.65 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In South Carolina, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.42 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 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2019 *
0.00
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
2025
27
2024
24
2023
22
2022
20
2021
22
2020
23
2019
21
2018
18
2017
17
2016
15
2015
15
2014
17
2013
18
2012
19
2011
19
2010
21
2009
25
2008
26
2007
24
2006
23
2005
32
2004
40
2003
40
2002
33
2001
28
2000
22
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Goretown Mine sits in Horry County, South Carolina, where the Census mining category is 0.0% 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.
Horry County, South Carolina · Population 368,937
0.0%
Mining share of county employment
$64,623
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
2025 Q4
12,300
0
0
0.0
2025 Q3
12,522
6
0
479.2
2025 Q2
13,034
0
0
0.0
2025 Q1
12,294
9
3
732.1
2024 Q4
12,915
0
0
0.0
2024 Q3
12,300
9
0
731.7
2024 Q2
12,127
0
0
0.0
2024 Q1
11,913
0
0
0.0
Show 96 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2023 Q4
11,584
12
3
1035.9
2023 Q3
11,332
8
2
706.0
2023 Q2
11,844
0
0
0.0
2023 Q1
11,428
1
1
87.5
2022 Q4
8,268
0
0
0.0
2022 Q3
9,510
0
0
0.0
2022 Q2
9,259
2
1
216.0
2022 Q1
10,568
11
0
1040.9
2021 Q4
10,277
0
0
0.0
2021 Q3
9,665
0
0
0.0
2021 Q2
11,061
10
3
904.1
2021 Q1
10,485
4
0
381.5
2020 Q4
9,839
0
0
0.0
2020 Q3
10,293
0
0
0.0
2020 Q2
11,762
3
1
255.1
2020 Q1
10,841
0
0
0.0
2019 Q4
9,284
7
1
754.0
2019 Q3
10,810
0
0
0.0
2019 Q2
11,138
3
0
269.3
2019 Q1
9,675
0
0
0.0
2018 Q4
8,554
4
0
467.6
2018 Q3
8,929
6
0
672.0
2018 Q2
9,667
0
0
0.0
2018 Q1
9,989
0
0
0.0
2017 Q4
10,125
1
0
98.8
2017 Q3
9,807
0
0
0.0
2017 Q2
9,943
0
0
0.0
2017 Q1
10,637
0
0
0.0
2016 Q4
7,326
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
8,960
0
0
0.0
2016 Q2
8,674
1
0
115.3
2016 Q1
6,346
2
0
315.2
2015 Q4
8,291
0
0
0.0
2015 Q3
6,021
0
0
0.0
2015 Q2
6,856
3
2
437.6
2015 Q1
8,149
0
0
0.0
2014 Q4
9,225
2
0
216.8
2014 Q3
9,771
0
0
0.0
2014 Q2
10,229
1
0
97.8
2014 Q1
10,261
0
0
0.0
2013 Q4
11,223
1
0
89.1
2013 Q3
10,951
0
0
0.0
2013 Q2
10,630
1
0
94.1
2013 Q1
9,567
0
0
0.0
2012 Q4
10,618
2
1
188.4
2012 Q3
8,979
0
0
0.0
2012 Q2
10,118
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
11,599
3
2
258.6
2011 Q4
12,674
2
0
157.8
2011 Q3
10,335
1
0
96.8
2011 Q2
9,450
0
0
0.0
2011 Q1
8,194
1
0
122.0
2010 Q4
9,033
0
0
0.0
2010 Q3
9,992
2
1
200.2
2010 Q2
10,099
1
0
99.0
2010 Q1
8,844
5
2
565.4
2009 Q4
10,335
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
13,037
0
0
0.0
2009 Q2
13,180
4
2
303.5
2009 Q1
14,082
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
16,055
3
1
186.9
2008 Q3
16,271
0
0
0.0
2008 Q2
16,024
1
1
62.4
2008 Q1
15,168
3
0
197.8
2007 Q4
14,208
0
0
0.0
2007 Q3
17,211
0
0
0.0
2007 Q2
18,703
1
0
53.5
2007 Q1
17,095
3
1
175.5
2006 Q4
14,366
0
0
0.0
2006 Q3
15,448
1
1
64.7
2006 Q2
15,393
0
0
0.0
2006 Q1
14,687
0
0
0.0
2005 Q4
1,630
6
2
3681.0
2005 Q3
14,635
18
7
1229.9
2005 Q2
18,096
0
0
0.0
2005 Q1
17,823
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
18,901
7
1
370.4
2004 Q3
17,234
14
9
812.3
2004 Q2
22,055
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
20,282
4
1
197.2
2003 Q4
19,239
1
0
52.0
2003 Q3
20,940
1
0
47.8
2003 Q2
18,762
0
0
0.0
2003 Q1
15,590
3
0
192.4
2002 Q4
15,024
0
0
0.0
2002 Q3
8,750
1
0
114.3
2002 Q2
13,966
0
0
0.0
2002 Q1
15,395
1
0
65.0
2001 Q4
19,310
0
0
0.0
2001 Q3
10,020
2
1
199.6
2001 Q2
9,715
0
0
0.0
2001 Q1
11,471
3
0
261.5
2000 Q4
16,952
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
11,778
6
0
509.4
2000 Q2
7,168
0
0
0.0
2000 Q1
4,320
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
12 on file
2016 · 1 incident
March 8, 2016SC · Metal/Non-Metalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
SC Rock, LLC · Fall to the walkway or working surface
Employee was standing on the concrete at the wash plant spraying off the concrete pad with a water hose. The pad had some fine silt on it. EE said EE turned right and EE's left foot slipped out from under EE. Reported EE's fall to foreman and continued to work for the next 2 days. On 3/11/2016 EE came to work that morning and said EE went to ER.
2013 · 1 incident
June 28, 2013SC · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanOTHER
was helping to work on a water truck and a gust of wind blew dust behind his safety eye wear into his eye.
2012 · 1 incident
February 20, 2012SC · Metal/Non-Metalhaul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driverSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was walking up the steps at the fuel depot to get oil for his Off-Road truck, when his foot did not catch the step all the way, causing him to fall forward. At that time he put his hands down to catch his fall, bending his left wrist backwards. After sending the employee to Doctor's Care, it was determined that he sprained his left wrist.
2011 · 2 incidents
June 20, 2011SC · Metal/Non-Metaloutside foreman, leadmanMACHINERY
EE started a/c unit and a piece of debris flew out and hit him in right eye. Due to the fact the EE was in an enclosed cab, he was not required to wear safety glasses.
June 14, 2011SC · Metal/Non-Metalwelder (shop)OTHER
Employee was cleaning off uniform, when a gust of wind blew a foreign object into his left eye. Employee had eye protection on at the time of the incident according to employee and witnesses.
EE was lifting a 90lb. dragline bucket tooth over the top of the tailgate of the welding truck, The tooth slipped out of the left hand and fell on the right hand, Hand was between the tooth and the top of the tailgate.
2006 · 1 incident
May 10, 2006SC · Metal/Non-Metalcrane operator, mobile equipment operator (meo), dragline operator, dropball operator, riggerSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Operator was exiting the dragline to evaluate a new setup. He stepped down off the dragline & turned his ankle in loose soil. The loose soil was from dozer work left behind by first shift clean up of work area.
2001 · 2 incidents
September 20, 2001SC · Metal/Non-Metalwelder (shop)MACHINERY
EE HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT HIS EYES BURNING. HE HAS SUFFERED UV BURNS IN THE PAST. MINER WAS INSTRUCTED NOT TO LOOK AT THE ARC ON HIS RETURN.
2000 · 1 incident
August 30, 2000SC · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON