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Mesabi Black: 31 MSHA citations Metal/Non-Metal

Babbitt, Lake County, MN  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 2103085

Mesabi Black has $4K in proposed MSHA penalties and $151 outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
18
Years on record
2002–2026
Latest incident
Mar 2026
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
31
citations
6
significant & substantial
$3,661
proposed penalties
$3,510
paid to date
96% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $151 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
See Cold Spring Granite Company's full MSHA compliance history →
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
64
inspections on record
716
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: 716 inspection hours is too few for a stable rate. A minimum of 1,000 inspection hours is required.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Mesabi Black has $4K in proposed MSHA penalties and $151 outstanding across 0 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.
$4K
proposed penalties
$4K
current assessed
$4K
paid to date
$151
outstanding
30 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-03-02.
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.
19.4%
significant & substantial
0.0%
high negligence or reckless
19.4%
reasonably likely or greater
58.1%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 54.8% low, 45.2% moderate, 0.0% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, 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: 2026-03-03
0%
of limit-tested samples over the exposure limit
29
samples
2
limit-tested
Most sampled contaminants
  • Respirable dust, <.1mg12
  • Fibers, >5um8
  • Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz5
  • Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz3
Show the individual readings (29)
Date Contaminant Concentration Limit Conc / limit Occupation
2026-03-03 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Drill Operator, Rotary
2026-03-03 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2025-06-25 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.14 Diamond Drill Operator
2025-06-25 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Stone Polisher/Cutter
2021-11-23 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.14 Stone Polisher/Cutter
2021-11-23 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Stone Polisher/Cutter
2019-10-02 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Drill Operator, Rotary
2019-10-02 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.18 Drill Operator, Rotary
2019-10-02 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Stone Polisher/Cutter
2019-02-20 Nuisance dust, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.13 10 0.01 Drill Operator, Jumbo Perc.
2019-02-20 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Front-end Loader Operator
2019-02-20 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.39 Cutting Mach Operator
2014-03-25 Fibers, >5um 0 Wagon Drill Operator
2014-03-25 Fibers, >5um 0 Wagon Drill Operator
2012-02-29 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.16 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2012-02-29 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Truck Driver
2012-02-29 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2012-02-29 Quartz, respirable, >1% Qtz 0.51 3.13 0.16 Stone Polisher/Cutter
2012-02-29 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.12 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2010-10-26 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Drill Operator, Rotary Air
2009-02-12 Fibers, >5um 0.01 Drill Operator, Rotary
2009-02-12 Fibers, >5um 0.01 Drill Operator, Rotary
2009-02-12 Fibers, >5um 0.01 Drill Operator, Rotary
2008-02-21 Fibers, >5um 0.03 Drill Operator, Rotary
2008-02-21 Fibers, >5um 0.01 Drill Operator, Rotary
2008-02-21 Fibers, >5um 0.01 Drill Operator, Rotary
2006-03-29 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Drill Operator, Rotary
2006-03-29 Respirable dust, <.1mg 0 Drill Operator, Rotary
2004-03-10 Unlisted Particulate, respirable, <1% Qtz 0.54 Drill Operator, Rotary
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.

Mesabi Black recorded 15.78 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.
15.78
total case rate
7.89
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above 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 Minnesota, metal and nonmetal mining averaged 2.11 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 * 15.78 7.89 0.000
2011 * 9.88 9.88 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. Cold Spring Granite Company 1994 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 9
2025 11
2024 11
2023 10
2022 10
2021 11
2020 9
2019 8
2018 8
2017 12
2016 10
2015 11
2014 14
2013 11
2012 16
2011 13
2010 11
2009 13
2008 10
2007 8
2006 7
2005 7
2004 13
2003 12
2002 11
2001 6
2000 5
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Mesabi Black sits in Lake County, Minnesota, where the Census mining category is 3.7% 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.
Lake County, Minnesota · Population 10,911
3.7%
Mining share of county employment
$75,621
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 3,878 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 3,238 1 0 308.8
2025 Q4 4,598 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 4,317 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 4,105 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 3,608 0 0 0.0
2024 Q4 4,237 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 5,211 1 0 191.9
Show 98 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 5,369 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 4,170 0 0 0.0
2023 Q4 601 0 0 0.0
2023 Q3 5,467 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 5,625 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 4,872 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 4,915 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 4,509 2 0 443.6
2022 Q2 5,356 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 3,890 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 4,199 1 1 238.2
2021 Q3 5,986 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 4,996 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 4,191 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 2,391 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 4,013 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 3,081 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 4,060 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 2,978 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 3,413 0 0 0.0
2019 Q2 4,762 2 0 420.0
2019 Q1 2,203 1 0 453.9
2018 Q4 3,065 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 3,681 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 3,625 0 0 0.0
2018 Q1 1,370 1 0 729.9
2017 Q4 3,340 0 0 0.0
2017 Q3 3,431 0 0 0.0
2017 Q2 4,992 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 2,226 0 0 0.0
2016 Q4 4,470 1 0 223.7
2016 Q3 5,012 0 0 0.0
2016 Q2 2,923 1 0 342.1
2016 Q1 2,370 0 0 0.0
2015 Q4 3,532 0 0 0.0
2015 Q3 3,472 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 5,090 0 0 0.0
2015 Q1 3,055 0 0 0.0
2014 Q4 4,734 4 1 845.0
2014 Q3 5,440 0 0 0.0
2014 Q2 5,628 0 0 0.0
2014 Q1 950 0 0 0.0
2013 Q4 2,974 0 0 0.0
2013 Q3 4,317 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 5,070 0 0 0.0
2013 Q1 3,598 0 0 0.0
2012 Q4 5,451 0 0 0.0
2012 Q3 5,657 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 6,865 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 7,383 1 0 135.4
2011 Q4 6,273 0 0 0.0
2011 Q3 5,924 0 0 0.0
2011 Q2 4,152 2 1 481.7
2011 Q1 3,898 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 3,565 2 1 561.0
2010 Q3 4,301 0 0 0.0
2010 Q2 3,943 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 2,913 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 4,031 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 4,628 0 0 0.0
2009 Q2 4,208 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 3,351 1 0 298.4
2008 Q4 3,098 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 7,426 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 4,105 0 0 0.0
2008 Q1 2,947 1 0 339.3
2007 Q4 3,154 1 0 317.1
2007 Q3 4,334 0 0 0.0
2007 Q2 3,986 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 3,609 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 3,626 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 4,120 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 2,517 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 1,425 0 0 0.0
2005 Q4 1,177 0 0 0.0
2005 Q3 4,229 0 0 0.0
2005 Q2 3,574 3 0 839.4
2005 Q1 2,829 0 0 0.0
2004 Q4 2,680 0 0 0.0
2004 Q3 4,742 0 0 0.0
2004 Q2 4,522 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 4,553 1 0 219.6
2003 Q4 4,235 0 0 0.0
2003 Q3 4,933 1 1 202.7
2003 Q2 4,196 0 0 0.0
2003 Q1 3,898 0 0 0.0
2002 Q4 3,895 0 0 0.0
2002 Q3 5,141 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 3,797 0 0 0.0
2002 Q1 3,317 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 1,460 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 693 0 0 0.0
2001 Q2 0 0 0
2001 Q1 1,895 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 1,986 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 2,400 2 0 833.3
2000 Q2 433 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 0 0 0
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

18 on file

2026 · 1 incident

March 24, 2026 MN · Metal/Non-Metal stone finishing and sizing personnel, stone/rock cut/polish/saw operator, splitter, cutter, trimmer SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Cold Spring Granite Company · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Employee was setting granite blocks on saw yard to be sawn, as employee was walking/moving the blocks they slipped on mud and fell backwards landing on their back, employee was given a prescription medication. Employee returned to work with no restriction, no lost time, no lost wages.

2025 · 3 incidents

July 22, 2025 MN · Metal/Non-Metal drill operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Cold Spring Granite Company · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was walking from compressor to truck when they slipped in mud and rolled their left ankle. Treated and released to modified duty, no lost time, no lost wages restrictions being accommodated.

March 18, 2025 MN · Metal/Non-Metal drill operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Cold Spring Granite Company · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Pulling the pins changing out quick attach on loader, went to set one down slipped out of grip and twisted left wrist.

2024 · 2 incidents

October 28, 2024 MN · Metal/Non-Metal drill operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Cold Spring Granite Company · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee was putting a saw wheel in the back of a pickup truck. The weight of the saw wheel was 40 lbs. Employee return to work with restrictions on 10/29/2024, no lost time, no lost wages.

July 2, 2024 MN · Metal/Non-Metal drill operator DISORDERS (REPEATED TRAUMA)
Cold Spring Granite Company · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee's annual audiometric test determined employee has a Standard Threshold Shift (STS) in left ear.

2023 · 1 incident

November 13, 2023 MN · Metal/Non-Metal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Cold Spring Granite Company · Struck by flying object

Employee was driving in quarry and noticed EE's eye was irritated, EE wasn't sure what caused it. EE tried flushing it out several times, and following day decided to see the doctor. Doctor treated, prescribed drops and released EE to work. No lost wages, no lost time.

2021 · 1 incident

July 8, 2021 MN · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Cold Spring Granite Company · Fall from machine

Employee was climbing down from Tractor 1807 seat, employee's foot was not in the step all the way, foot slipped out and employee hit the ground, rolling ankle. Medical doctor diagnosed right ankle fracture, off work until reevaluated. Lost time injury.

2013 · 1 incident

July 10, 2013 MN · Metal/Non-Metal driller, highwall operator, highwall drill operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Cold Spring Granite Company · Struck by falling object

Employee was carrying a drill rod and slipped on muddy, uneven surface. He fell and the drill steel fell with him, the steel landing on small (pinky) right finger, crushing it. No lost time.

2012 · 2 incidents

October 8, 2012 MN · Metal/Non-Metal rock driller HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Cold Spring Granite Company · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee alleges he was unhooking sound booth and felt pain in his mid back. He sought chiropractic treatment later that day. Chiropractor took him off of work - unknown restrictions. Lost time injury.

August 16, 2012 MN · Metal/Non-Metal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Cold Spring Granite Company · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was doing maintenance, using ladder to access collector. He descended ladder with wrench in hand, missed bottom step, lost his balance, grabbed for ladder with hand he was holding wrench in, missed the ladder rung and hit himself in the mouth with the wrench. Recently experiencing pain and a dental visit revealed some damage to both his top and bottom front teeth.

2011 · 1 incident

January 12, 2011 MN · Metal/Non-Metal front-end loader, scraper-loader operator, pan operator, payloader, scraper rig operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Cold Spring Granite Company · Fall to the walkway or working surface

Tire chains were coming off loader tires. Employee was prying with bar to slide chains back on, bar slipped and he fell backwards, spraining/straining his right ankle. Unable to return to work. Filled out First Report of Injury on 1/17/2011.

2010 · 2 incidents

October 15, 2010 MN · Metal/Non-Metal drill operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Cold Spring Granite Company · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was helping install sanding unit on small dump truck, felt sharp pain in lower back. Employee saw chiropractor, employee said he couldn't work-no documentation available at this time. On 10-25-2010 chiropractor said employee could work with 20 pound lifting restriction.

February 24, 2010 MN · Metal/Non-Metal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Cold Spring Granite Company · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was on quarry loader catwalk prying with a bar to get bolt out. Bar slipped out of bolt hole, caught his head between tire and catwalk. Laceration right ear tip, sutures applied.

2009 · 1 incident

November 17, 2009 MN · Metal/Non-Metal carpenter HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Cold Spring Granite Company · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee was temporarily working at quarry laying cement blocks for a building, constant twisting and bending all day. He was in a bent over position and felt something pop in his right hip area. After a few days, he decided to see a chiropractor as the discomfort didn't go away.

2008 · 1 incident

July 15, 2008 MN · Metal/Non-Metal drill operator SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON
Cold Spring Granite Company · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee stepped out of grout truck, went down ladder and when he stepped off onto ground he twisted his right ankle.

2005 · 1 incident

January 23, 2005 MN · Metal/Non-Metal outside foreman, leadman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Cold Spring Granite Company · Over-exertion in lifting objects

Employee went to quarry to start generator and plow snow. Brought two jugs of gas for the plow truck. When lifting the first one out of back of pickup, he wrenched his back. He thought it would get better with time, but it continued to bother him so he saw a chiropractor on 2-21-05 for lower back pain.

2002 · 1 incident

March 5, 2002 MN · Metal/Non-Metal miner, nec DISORDERS (REPEATED TRAUMA)
Cold Spring Granite Company · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE ALLEGES HE WAS DOING QUARRY DUTIES-GOT CARPALTUNNEL BOTH HANDS. EE DIDN'T FILE 1ST REPORT OF INJURY UNTIL 3/5/02, WHICH COLD SPRING GRANITE REC'D FAXED COPY 3/6/02. AT THIS TIME EE IS STILL WORKING