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.
905 citations across 10,840 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.
1
Section 107(a) orders
Most recent order: 2022-01-04.
On record since 2022.
Source: MSHA imminent-danger order records, updated weekly.
MINE #9 has $267K in proposed MSHA penalties and $39K outstanding across 10 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.
$267K
proposed penalties
$256K
current assessed
$216K
paid to date
$39K
outstanding
843 assessments are final orders; 10 contested dockets.
Of $44K in penalties contested before the Commission, $33K was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-05-28.
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.
125citations taken to the federal commission · 14% of citations on record
Settled
95 · 76%
Stood as issued
9 · 7%
Still open
21 · 17%
100%
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 Vacated and withdrawn citations, and settlements that removed the designation, count against.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 39 decided S&S contests · industry: 79%
25%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$44K proposed, $33K 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 A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record.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 2026-04-02.
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.
MSHA sampling at MINE #9 shows 100% of 1,883 respirable coal dust samples met the 1.5 mg/m3 standard.
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.
Last sampled: 2026-08-20
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
1,883
samples
4.36
dust max (mg/m3)
0
over MSHA ECV
ⓘThe excessive concentration value (ECV) is MSHA's own per-sample enforcement threshold, which builds in measurement uncertainty; a sample over its ECV can trigger a citation. The count covers only samples MSHA assigned an ECV.
495 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 1,388 by the operator.
Noise
ⓘThe share counts noise samples whose measured dose exceeded the 90 dBA permissible exposure limit. It describes the sampled workplace, not what reached the miner's ear: hearing conservation programs and the hearing protection worn during the shift are recorded separately and are not reflected here.
Health sampling trend
ⓘ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 by year
ⓘ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.
MINE #9 recorded 7.12 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.
7.12
total case rate
3.56
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Above average. The US coal mining average was 3.19 and the all-US-mining average was 1.97 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 2.97 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 *
7.12
3.56
0.000
2024 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2023 *
4.19
4.19
0.000
2022 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2021 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2019 *
0.00
0.00
0.000
2018 *
8.93
8.93
0.000
2017 *
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
ⓘCoal production is reported quarterly and lags the current period; the most recent quarters may be incomplete.
Year
Employees
Coal produced (tons)
2026
26
24,973
2025
24
64,187
2024
19
57,591
2023
21
75,879
2022
22
59,431
2021
21
71,149
2020
13
14,918
2019
13
40,136
2018
13
36,385
2017
13
47,399
2016
15
20,250
2015
13
38,625
2014
14
43,503
2013
15
38,068
2012
14
50,383
2011
14
50,962
2010
9
21,482
2008
0
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.
MINE #9 sits in Dickenson County, Virginia, where the Census mining category is 9.8% 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.
Dickenson County, Virginia · Population 13,920
9.8%
Mining share of county employment
$43,831
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
Roof fall in the return at spad #2417 between #1 and #2 entries. The fall was about 20' x 20' and 36" thick. The fall did not block the air course or travel way. It has been timbered off and dangered off.
2025 · 2 incidents
July 10, 2025VA · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Capital Coal Corp. · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Setting feeder on belt move pinched EE's thumb in between 2 crib blocks
July 10, 2025VA · Coallaborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scalerHANDLING OF MATERIALS
Capital Coal Corp. · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object
Setting feeder on belt move pinched thumb between two crib blocks
2023 · 1 incident
May 10, 2023VA · Coalshuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operatorHANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Employee was working on a continuous miner using a sledge hammer to drive a new piece in. A small piece of metal broke off and flew into the employees upper right arm.
January 5, 2018VA · Coalbeltman, conveyor man, conveyor belt worker, mobile bridge carrierman, feeder operator, conveyor riderPOWERED HAULAGE
EE got on buggy, he did not put on safety glasses going to ride buggy to outside, he stepped on fire ext. and it went off in his face and eyes. Another ee and another ee flushed his eyes when inside mine. EE and EE flushed his eyes again once he was outside. EE did not request rescue service, ee took him to hays clinic.