U.S. Silica Company 401(k) Review & Grade
U.S. Silica Retirement Savings Plan
Katy, TXMining, Oil & Gas1,821 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$4,564Employer $ per active participant
$6,848Employee $ saved per active participant
0.10%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$215.0MNet plan assets, end of year
$87,227Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity26.6 / 5053th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost18.3 / 2573th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.8 / 1545th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score59 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Mining, Oil & Gas plans with 500–2,499 active participants (129 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 53th |
| Lower admin cost | 73th |
| Employee saving | 45th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 60% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $25,672 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- U.S. Silica put in about $4,564 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($4,357). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $8,310,453 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $12,469,429 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,044,526 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $210,689 |
| Contract administrator fees | $1,200 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $27,328 |
| Other admin expenses | $6,792 |
| Benefits paid out | $26,835,726 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $193.2M / $215.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,896 / 1,746 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,465 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Melton & Melton, L.L.P. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $136,788 reported compensation |
| Melton & Melton, LLP | $38,000 reported compensation |
| Dimeo Schneider & Associates, LLC | $19,572 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015102747NAL0002241923001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 23-0958670, plan #029, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.