(Coffeen)--U.S. Minerals has been cited by the Federal Government for willfully exposing workers to dangerous levels of hazardous dust without providing protective breathing equipment. According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Minerals was cited for violations at its facility in Coffeen. Minerals Vice President Jason Vukas says the company disagrees with the classification of the dust, and plans to contest the citations.

OSHA has issued 28 citations with proposed penalties of over three hundred thousand dollars. OSHA says inhalation of the type of dust produced at the facility can cause debilitating lung disease.