Mesa Verde Humates, LLC has $89K in proposed MSHA penalties and $1K outstanding across 6 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.
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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
15
Years on record
2005–2022
Latest incident
Jul 2022
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
238
citations
68
significant & substantial
$89,054
proposed penalties
$85,725
paid to date
96% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $3,329 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.
238 citations across 1,598 inspection hours.
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.
2
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2017-07-10.
On record since 2017.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
Mesa Verde Humates, LLC has $89K in proposed MSHA penalties and $1K outstanding across 6 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.
$89K
proposed penalties
$87K
current assessed
$86K
paid to date
$1K
outstanding
232 assessments are final orders; 6 contested dockets.
Of $16K in penalties contested before the Commission, $13K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-07-09.
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.
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.
7citations taken to the federal commission · 3% of citations on record
Settled
5 · 71%
Stood as issued
1 · 14%
Still open
1 · 14%
75%
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 4 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
15%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$15K proposed, $13K 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 2024-03-05.
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: 2026-03-04
55%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
31
samples
29
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz2716 over
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz3
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz1
Show the individual readings (31)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Occupation
2023-08-23
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
2.58
1.7
1.52
Bagging Operator
2023-08-22
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
2.25
1.47
1.53
Bagging Operator
2023-05-31
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
3.37
1.39
2.42
Bagging Operator
2023-01-25
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
2.89
1.54
1.88
Bagging Operator
2015-08-18
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
3.85
2.83
1.36
Front-end Loader Operator
2015-08-18
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
2.98
2.65
1.12
Laborer, Bullgang
2008-09-09
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
3.35
2.32
1.44
Forklift Operator
2008-09-09
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
3.43
2.1
1.63
Bagging Operator
2008-09-09
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
3.82
2.45
1.56
Laborer, Bullgang
2008-07-10
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
3.2
1.87
1.71
Laborer, Bullgang
2008-07-10
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
2.56
1.97
1.30
Forklift Operator
2008-07-10
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
4.79
1.8
2.66
Bagging Operator
2007-10-09
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
2.11
1.95
1.08
Bagging Operator
2007-04-18
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
4.6
2.11
2.18
Front-end Loader Operator
2007-04-18
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
9.3
1.97
4.72
Crusher Oper/Worker
2007-04-18
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
3.22
1.82
1.77
Bagging Operator
2026-03-04
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.71
Front-end Loader Operator
2026-03-04
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
5.56
10
0.56
Packaging Operations Worker
2026-03-04
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
3.63
10
0.36
Bagging Operator
2023-10-10
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
2.67
2.94
0.91
Bagging Operator
2023-10-10
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
2.19
3.23
0.68
Bagging Operator
2023-10-10
Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz
2.28
Bagging Operator
2023-01-25
Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz
2.32
10
0.23
Bagging Operator
2020-08-25
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.91
2.08
0.92
Front-end Loader Operator
2015-10-28
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.43
2.35
0.18
Front-end Loader Operator
2015-08-18
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.74
2.41
0.31
Dry Screen Plant Operator
2009-01-28
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.75
1.38
0.54
Forklift Operator
2009-01-28
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.78
1.23
0.63
Bagging Operator
2009-01-28
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
0.74
1.29
0.57
Laborer, Bullgang
2007-10-09
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.35
2.04
0.66
Front-end Loader Operator
2007-10-09
Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz
1.37
1.88
0.73
Crusher Oper/Worker
Area samples (mill and shop air)
Last sampled: 2023-05-31, 3 years ago
1
samples
Show the individual readings (2)
Date
Contaminant
Concentration
Limit
Conc / limit
Area sampled
2023-05-31
ANALYZED BULK DUST MASS
0
MP BAGGING/PACKAGING
2023-05-31
QUARTZ (BULK DUST)
0
MP BAGGING/PACKAGING
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.
Mesa Verde Humates, LLC 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
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 New Mexico, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 1.67 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 *
4.64
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
2026
22
2025
22
2024
20
2023
24
2022
27
2021
23
2020
22
2019
24
2018
23
2017
22
2016
25
2015
24
2014
22
2013
25
2012
24
2011
22
2010
16
2009
15
2008
16
2007
14
2006
12
2005
10
2004
8
2003
10
2002
12
2001
8
2000
8
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
Mesa Verde Humates, LLC sits in Sandoval County, New Mexico, where the Census mining category is 0.3% 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.
Sandoval County, New Mexico · Population 151,538
0.3%
Mining share of county employment
$84,053
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
9,607
0
0
0.0
2026 Q1
9,664
5
1
517.4
2025 Q4
11,699
0
0
0.0
2025 Q3
9,877
4
0
405.0
2025 Q2
10,662
0
0
0.0
2025 Q1
10,803
3
0
277.7
2024 Q4
8,566
0
0
0.0
2024 Q3
8,612
3
0
348.4
Show 98 earlier quartersHide earlier quarters
Quarter
Hours worked
Citations
S&S
Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2
9,452
1
0
105.8
2024 Q1
10,699
3
1
280.4
2023 Q4
10,481
0
0
0.0
2023 Q3
9,458
5
0
528.7
2023 Q2
10,917
0
0
0.0
2023 Q1
10,803
4
1
370.3
2022 Q4
10,013
0
0
0.0
2022 Q3
11,633
4
1
343.8
2022 Q2
10,757
0
0
0.0
2022 Q1
10,699
3
1
280.4
2021 Q4
9,270
0
0
0.0
2021 Q3
8,998
2
1
222.3
2021 Q2
10,678
0
0
0.0
2021 Q1
9,767
0
0
0.0
2020 Q4
9,833
3
0
305.1
2020 Q3
10,365
1
0
96.5
2020 Q2
10,558
0
0
0.0
2020 Q1
11,008
0
0
0.0
2019 Q4
9,002
1
1
111.1
2019 Q3
12,144
4
0
329.4
2019 Q2
10,467
0
0
0.0
2019 Q1
10,730
4
0
372.8
2018 Q4
10,057
0
0
0.0
2018 Q3
11,147
4
0
358.8
2018 Q2
9,488
0
0
0.0
2018 Q1
10,125
4
2
395.1
2017 Q4
10,125
0
0
0.0
2017 Q3
10,637
12
6
1128.1
2017 Q2
9,957
0
0
0.0
2017 Q1
10,173
3
1
294.9
2016 Q4
11,945
0
0
0.0
2016 Q3
11,940
3
0
251.3
2016 Q2
11,319
0
0
0.0
2016 Q1
12,560
0
0
0.0
2015 Q4
13,597
6
5
441.3
2015 Q3
11,561
11
4
951.5
2015 Q2
13,820
2
1
144.7
2015 Q1
9,915
3
0
302.6
2014 Q4
11,866
3
2
252.8
2014 Q3
9,356
10
3
1068.8
2014 Q2
13,912
0
0
0.0
2014 Q1
9,703
10
2
1030.6
2013 Q4
14,306
1
0
69.9
2013 Q3
12,138
9
2
741.5
2013 Q2
14,419
0
0
0.0
2013 Q1
10,531
1
0
95.0
2012 Q4
14,153
0
0
0.0
2012 Q3
12,557
2
0
159.3
2012 Q2
15,543
0
0
0.0
2012 Q1
10,732
0
0
0.0
2011 Q4
13,716
8
6
583.3
2011 Q3
10,036
14
7
1395.0
2011 Q2
11,237
0
0
0.0
2011 Q1
10,837
8
2
738.2
2010 Q4
10,098
0
0
0.0
2010 Q3
8,920
0
0
0.0
2010 Q2
10,006
2
0
199.9
2010 Q1
7,542
0
0
0.0
2009 Q4
8,233
0
0
0.0
2009 Q3
6,748
5
0
741.0
2009 Q2
7,874
0
0
0.0
2009 Q1
7,308
0
0
0.0
2008 Q4
10,535
6
3
569.5
2008 Q3
8,234
14
2
1700.3
2008 Q2
7,604
0
0
0.0
2008 Q1
7,440
0
0
0.0
2007 Q4
7,275
5
1
687.3
2007 Q3
6,906
0
0
0.0
2007 Q2
6,852
10
1
1459.4
2007 Q1
7,290
0
0
0.0
2006 Q4
7,042
3
0
426.0
2006 Q3
7,122
0
0
0.0
2006 Q2
6,074
0
0
0.0
2006 Q1
5,606
1
0
178.4
2005 Q4
5,033
0
0
0.0
2005 Q3
4,443
0
0
0.0
2005 Q2
4,862
0
0
0.0
2005 Q1
4,583
0
0
0.0
2004 Q4
4,648
0
0
0.0
2004 Q3
3,849
0
0
0.0
2004 Q2
4,816
0
0
0.0
2004 Q1
3,582
3
0
837.5
2003 Q4
4,861
0
0
0.0
2003 Q3
4,618
2
0
433.1
2003 Q2
4,519
0
0
0.0
2003 Q1
5,224
15
8
2871.4
2002 Q4
7,220
0
0
0.0
2002 Q3
4,444
1
0
225.0
2002 Q2
7,489
0
0
0.0
2002 Q1
6,191
0
0
0.0
2001 Q4
4,549
0
0
0.0
2001 Q3
3,931
6
3
1526.3
2001 Q2
4,057
0
0
0.0
2001 Q1
3,363
0
0
0.0
2000 Q4
3,265
0
0
0.0
2000 Q3
3,475
0
0
0.0
2000 Q2
3,881
0
0
0.0
2000 Q1
3,710
0
0
0.0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.
Reportable incidents
15 on file
2022 · 2 incidents
July 11, 2022NM · Metal/Non-Metallaborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitmanHANDLING OF MATERIALS
EE was monitoring the pulverize belt when EE removed the handle and hit the side of the hopper with the gate handle when the gate handle bounced back and hit EE on the upper lip causing a laceration.
The employee was trying to stabilize a new catwalk in front of the shop so he could hoist with a forklift. While doing this he pulled back causing it to fall off the skids and onto his foot.
May 21, 2014NM · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Mesa Verde Resources · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances
While weighing a product (koh) for a blend a gust of wind blew some of the product under the sleeve of the employees PPE. The employee did not realize it had happened until 20 minutes latter when he was washing up at the end of his shift. This caused a small chemical burn on his L forearm and R elbow.
2012 · 2 incidents
November 20, 2012NM · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was moving backwards with a piece of steel and tripped over another project he was working on. He fell scraping his left knee and got a bump on the head.
September 12, 2012NM · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was handing a tool to his partner, both were standing on the D-7 Dozer doing repair work. Conditions were rainy and equipment was wet. Employee missed a handhold, slipped and fell approximately 4 feet, striking his lower back on a service truck parked next to the dozer.
2011 · 3 incidents
May 24, 2011NM · Metal/Non-Metalmaintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service techSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee climbed over a stack of palleted paper bags for an inventory count. Upon dismounting the pallet his foot slipped and he turned his ankle
April 20, 2011NM · Metal/Non-Metalbulldozer operator, universal operator, heavy equipment operator, operating engineerPOWERED HAULAGE
Mesa Verde Resources · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Employee walked behind a backing forklift and got his left foot run over by the steering tire. Forklift operator had checked behind him and the backup alarm was operating, however the employee walked into the forklift' s path, apparently unaware the machine was moving or distracted by some other activity.
March 30, 2011NM · Metal/Non-Metalledgeman/hand, quarry manPOWERED HAULAGE
Miner was unloading full propane bottles from the bed of a pickup truck. The 3rd bottle rolled out of the truck and struck him on the right foot. Miner was wearing steel-toed boots. Bottles were not secured in the bed of the truck and were not loaded in such a way as to prevent rollout. The pickup was parked on a slight slope.
2007 · 1 incident
February 6, 2007NM · Metal/Non-Metalwarehouseman, bagger, palletizer/stacker, store keeper, packager, fabricator, cleaning plant operatorSLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Employee was climbing on side of the mill 4-5 ft high greasing some bearings and slipped falling on his lower back. He was taken to the doctor immediately and cleared for restrictive duty. The employee will be taking a few days off to rest per our instructions and paid sick leave.
Forklift was very dusty, reducing traction on the footrest.
2005 · 1 incident
May 26, 2005NM · Metal/Non-Metalfireman - locomotive, railroad clam operator, timekeeper, yard engine operatorHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Mesa Verde Resources · Absorption of radiations, caustics, toxic and noxious substances
A yard hand was cleaning up spilled raw materials (amonium sulfate) and was not using the proper protective gloves. After a few hours he developed chemical burns on his fingers. He visited the doctor, received ointment and antibiotics and will be healed in one week. Non-serious burns.