Mining Incidents

Liberty Mine Coal

Alcoa Fuels Inc. · Surface
Controlled by Alcoa Corporation
Boonville, Warrick County, IN  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 1202428

Liberty Mine has $41K in proposed MSHA penalties and $824 outstanding across 1 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

Watch this mine

Email me when a new MSHA incident is filed at Liberty Mine.

Fatalities
0
Total incidents
19
Years on record
2014–2023
Latest incident
Aug 2023
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2013
101
citations
31
significant & substantial
$40,795
proposed penalties
$38,841
paid to date
95% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $1,954 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2010
78
inspections on record
2,435
inspection hours
4.1
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.
101 citations across 2,435 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Liberty Mine has $41K in proposed MSHA penalties and $824 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.
$41K
proposed penalties
$40K
current assessed
$39K
paid to date
$824
outstanding
73 assessments are final orders; 1 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-03-05.
Source: MSHA assessed-violations and conference/litigation data, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Liberty Mine shows respirable coal dust averaging 0.14 mg/m3 (100% compliant) across 267 samples.

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.
0.14
dust avg (mg/m3)
3.36
dust max (mg/m3)
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
267
samples
Most recent sample: 2026-06-25.
Silica (quartz)
6.6
silica avg (%)
21.0
silica max (%)
29
samples
Most recent sample: 2026-03-17.
Noise
2%
over PEL
56
samples
Most recent sample: 2026-03-19.
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
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 Q3 500 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 450 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 400 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 368 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 3,395 0 0 0.0
2024 Q2 22,129 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 31,981 2 2 62.5
2023 Q4 29,599 0 0 0.0
Show 42 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2023 Q3 30,274 5 4 165.2
2023 Q2 24,278 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 21,139 1 0 47.3
2022 Q4 9,443 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 1,335 0 0 0.0
2022 Q2 687 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 546 3 0 5494.5
2021 Q4 613 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 578 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 0 0 0
2020 Q4 0 0 0
2020 Q3 0 1 0
2020 Q2 0 0 0
2019 Q4 1,880 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 2,067 0 0 0.0
2019 Q2 10,247 1 0 97.6
2019 Q1 52,753 0 0 0.0
2018 Q4 56,744 2 2 35.2
2018 Q3 62,743 2 0 31.9
2018 Q2 71,206 1 0 14.0
2018 Q1 70,161 2 1 28.5
2017 Q4 62,554 3 2 48.0
2017 Q3 72,858 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 70,676 2 0 28.3
2017 Q1 58,954 1 1 17.0
2016 Q4 54,924 2 1 36.4
2016 Q3 64,550 1 1 15.5
2016 Q2 67,588 4 2 59.2
2016 Q1 63,417 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 55,385 3 1 54.2
2015 Q3 54,369 1 0 18.4
2015 Q2 51,036 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 54,069 2 1 37.0
2014 Q4 53,673 0 0 0.0
2014 Q3 54,873 4 1 72.9
2014 Q2 55,961 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 54,420 20 6 367.5
2013 Q4 49,056 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 42,020 12 3 285.6
2013 Q2 40,226 2 2 49.7
2013 Q1 12,195 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 5,155 0 0 0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

19 on file

2023 · 1 incident

August 9, 2023 IN · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver MACHINERY
Alcoa Fuels Inc. · Struck against a moving object

2600 excavator was loading shot rock into haul truck and a rock came off the bucket and jarred the truck. The operator complained about their back hurting.

2019 · 1 incident

January 7, 2019 IN · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Vigo Coal Operating Company LLC · Over-exertion in pulling or pushing objects

IE claims that when closing the door on a storage container, EE felt a pain in arm. After follow up for persistent pain on 1/30/2019, IE was placed on restricted duty until an orthopedic surgeon could decide if a steroid injection is necessary to control inflammation of shoulder joint. This injury is still under investigation.

2018 · 6 incidents

December 11, 2018 IN · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Vigo Coal Operating Company LLC · Struck by flying object

IEs were in the process of inflating a tire to examine it to determine where a slow leak was emanating from. As the tire was being inflated, a lock ring became dislodged. This resulted in a rapid deflation of the tire. The second lock ring came loose as well and struck both employees.

December 11, 2018 IN · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Vigo Coal Operating Company LLC · Struck by flying object

IEs were in the process of inflating a tire to examine it to determine where a slow leak was emanating from. As the tire was being inflated, a lock ring became dislodged. This resulted in a rapid deflation of the tire. The second lock ring came loose as well and struck both employees.

June 25, 2018 IN · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech DISORDERS (PHYSICAL AGENTS)
Vigo Coal Operating Company LLC · Contact with heat

Fueler was found laying on the ground by the night shift end dump drivers prior to the start of their shift. EE was aware of EE's surroundings, The foreman was contacted and a ambulance was dispatched immediately. EMS observed that all vitals were normal. Transferred to Deaconess Gateway Hospital EE was examined and given fluids and released to work with no restrictions.

June 18, 2018 IN · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman MACHINERY
Vigo Coal Operating Company LLC · Struck against a moving object

Mowing hillside and equipment overturned.

May 8, 2018 IN · Coal bulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Vigo Coal Operating Company LLC · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was dismounting from dozer and slipped on the wet ground and heard a popping noise in right knee. EE continued to work with no restrictions. Surgery was scheduled for a torn meniscus which was repaired on 09/21/18.

January 3, 2018 IN · Coal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator POWERED HAULAGE
Vigo Coal Operating Company Inc · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

While troubleshooting a bad roller, employee was attempting to move away from belt structure when employee's coat got caught by the belt. That pulled employee's arm to the roller resulting in a laceration to left arm.

2017 · 3 incidents

November 18, 2017 IN · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech POWERED HAULAGE
Vigo Coal Operating Company Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

IE was attempting to remove mud from the transmission housing of a pickup truck. IE violated Co policy by not chocking the wheels, not locking/tagging, and not de-energizing the truck prior to maintenance. Resulted in truck moving while IE was still on ground with the tire of the truck contacting ee resulting in a broken clavicle and a laceration to ear

September 19, 2017 IN · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Vigo Coal Operating Company Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

IE was using a pry bar while repairing a radiator. As IE was tightening a bracket, the pry bar slipped free, striking IE in the upper lip, resulting in a laceration. IE was treated, and 4 sutures were applied.

January 12, 2017 IN · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman MACHINERY
Vigo Coal Operating Company Inc · Caught in, under or between running or meshing objects

IE was attempting to open heater valves on dozer with engine running. In process IE's thumb contacted the alternator belt, resulting in a fracture of bone in left thumb, as well as laceration that required sutures to close.

2016 · 4 incidents

July 31, 2016 IN · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Vigo Coal Operating Company Inc · Struck against stationary object

Conditions contributing to this injury are: high heat and humidity, steel on steel rigging and failure to adequately rig the chain to the track pad.

July 16, 2016 IN · Coal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Vigo Coal Operating Company Inc · Fall to lower level, (Not Elsewhere Classified)

While walking to close a valve, the injured employee stepped into an opening that had been created when a drain panel had been removed. Injured employee fell 7 feet to concrete floor below. IE has been ordered to take physical therapy to repair damaged muscle.

March 21, 2016 IN · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Vigo Coal Operating Company Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE was using a 24" pipe wrench. EE was in the kneeling position pulling the wrench toward EE when the wrench slipped off the nut causing the handle to strike EE slightly above the forehead. EE received 5 staples in the scalp.

March 11, 2016 IN · Coal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Vigo Coal Operating Company Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

EE stated reached above the hose crimping machine and lifted the die to place in the machine. At this time EE felt pain in left shoulder. The die is estimated at 25lbs. The resulting diagnosis was a partial tear of the rotator cuff.

2015 · 1 incident

December 11, 2015 IN · Coal warehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Vigo Coal Operating Company Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Stated he was not sure what he did. States he did pick up a piece of metal that he realized he couldn't pick up by himself. He got another employee to help him & had no problem until an hour later when he started to hurt. X-rays negative. Diagnosed as an illness - tenosynovitis.

2014 · 3 incidents

April 28, 2014 IN · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Vigo Coal Operating Company Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

EE was removing the hoist cylinder yoke from the radiator guard of the D9 dozer. He rigged the yoke with 3/8" chain and was using the 20 ton hoist to ease the yoke out. He positioned his R hand on the yoke to stabilize it. The yoke cleared the radiator and shifted slightly. Chain tightened and pinched little/ring finger of R hand. Sutures were placed in both fingers.

April 2, 2014 IN · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech DISORDERS (REPEATED TRAUMA)
Vigo Coal Operating Company Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee alleges he developed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome while performing his work as a mechanic at Liberty Mine. The diagnosis was confirmed on April 2, 2014 and surgery was performed April 10, 2014. Both wrist areas are affected. There are two procedures, right wrist surgery on April 10, 2014 and left two weeks later. This will be reported to MSHA and 7000-1 counted as illness.

March 11, 2014 IN · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Vigo Coal Operating Company Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

While repairing a machine employee was holding a drive line in one hand while starting the bolts with the other felt a pop in left shoulder

For insurers, brokers, and safety consultants

The full compliance file on Liberty Mine

A dated report covering the 26-year penalty trail, line-item violation pattern, contest and docket posture, rate-normalized peer benchmark, and full fatality history. Delivered as a PDF with the underlying data as CSV.