diff --git a/doc/api/index.rst b/doc/api/index.rst
index e0a5df6a097..b8518fd8588 100644
--- a/doc/api/index.rst
+++ b/doc/api/index.rst
@@ -236,7 +236,6 @@ Use :func:`pygmt.datasets.load_sample_data` instead.
     :toctree: generated
 
     datasets.load_mars_shape
-    datasets.load_usgs_quakes
 
 .. automodule:: pygmt.exceptions
 
diff --git a/pygmt/datasets/__init__.py b/pygmt/datasets/__init__.py
index a16257bf308..1cec254953f 100644
--- a/pygmt/datasets/__init__.py
+++ b/pygmt/datasets/__init__.py
@@ -10,9 +10,4 @@
 from pygmt.datasets.earth_vertical_gravity_gradient import (
     load_earth_vertical_gravity_gradient,
 )
-from pygmt.datasets.samples import (
-    list_sample_data,
-    load_mars_shape,
-    load_sample_data,
-    load_usgs_quakes,
-)
+from pygmt.datasets.samples import list_sample_data, load_mars_shape, load_sample_data
diff --git a/pygmt/datasets/samples.py b/pygmt/datasets/samples.py
index 5fd54b8c006..aeb4f398436 100644
--- a/pygmt/datasets/samples.py
+++ b/pygmt/datasets/samples.py
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ def load_sample_data(name):
     # Dictionary of public load functions for backwards compatibility
     load_func_old = {
         "mars_shape": load_mars_shape,
-        "usgs_quakes": load_usgs_quakes,
     }
 
     # Dictionary of private load functions
@@ -85,6 +84,7 @@ def load_sample_data(name):
         "notre_dame_topography": _load_notre_dame_topography,
         "ocean_ridge_points": _load_ocean_ridge_points,
         "rock_compositions": _load_rock_sample_compositions,
+        "usgs_quakes": _load_usgs_quakes,
     }
 
     if name in load_func_old:
@@ -163,20 +163,9 @@ def _load_baja_california_bathymetry():
     )
 
 
-def load_usgs_quakes(**kwargs):
+def _load_usgs_quakes():
     """
-    (Deprecated) Load a table of global earthquakes from the USGS as a
-    pandas.DataFrame.
-
-    .. warning:: Deprecated since v0.6.0. This function has been replaced with
-       ``load_sample_data(name="usgs_quakes")`` and will be removed in
-       v0.9.0.
-
-    This is the ``@usgs_quakes_22.txt`` dataset used in the GMT tutorials.
-
-    The data are downloaded to a cache directory (usually ``~/.gmt/cache``) the
-    first time you invoke this function. Afterwards, it will load the data from
-    the cache. So you'll need an internet connection the first time around.
+    Load a table of global earthquakes from the USGS as a pandas.DataFrame.
 
     Returns
     -------
@@ -184,18 +173,8 @@ def load_usgs_quakes(**kwargs):
         The data table. Use ``print(data.describe())`` to see the available
         columns.
     """
-
-    if "suppress_warning" not in kwargs:
-        warnings.warn(
-            "This function has been deprecated since v0.6.0 and will be "
-            "removed in v0.9.0. Please use "
-            "load_sample_data(name='usgs_quakes') instead.",
-            category=FutureWarning,
-            stacklevel=2,
-        )
     fname = which("@usgs_quakes_22.txt", download="c")
-    data = pd.read_csv(fname)
-    return data
+    return pd.read_csv(fname)
 
 
 def _load_fractures_compilation():
diff --git a/pygmt/tests/test_datasets_samples.py b/pygmt/tests/test_datasets_samples.py
index 57c5ab9f2f5..ddf71afc863 100644
--- a/pygmt/tests/test_datasets_samples.py
+++ b/pygmt/tests/test_datasets_samples.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import numpy.testing as npt
 import pandas as pd
 import pytest
-from pygmt.datasets import load_mars_shape, load_sample_data, load_usgs_quakes
+from pygmt.datasets import load_mars_shape, load_sample_data
 from pygmt.exceptions import GMTInvalidInput
 
 
@@ -58,12 +58,58 @@ def test_sample_bathymetry():
 
 def test_usgs_quakes():
     """
-    Check that the dataset loads without errors.
+    Check that the @usgs_quakes_22.txt dataset loads without errors.
     """
-    with pytest.warns(expected_warning=FutureWarning) as record:
-        data = load_usgs_quakes()
-        assert len(record) == 1
+    data = load_sample_data(name="usgs_quakes")
     assert data.shape == (1197, 22)
+    assert list(data.columns) == [
+        "time",
+        "latitude",
+        "longitude",
+        "depth",
+        "mag",
+        "magType",
+        "nst",
+        "gap",
+        "dmin",
+        "rms",
+        "net",
+        "id",
+        "updated",
+        "place",
+        "type",
+        "horizontalError",
+        "depthError",
+        "magError",
+        "magNst",
+        "status",
+        "locationSource",
+        "magSource",
+    ]
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["latitude"].min(), -60.6819)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["latitude"].max(), 72.6309)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["longitude"].min(), -179.9953)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["longitude"].max(), 179.9129)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["depth"].min(), -0.21)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["depth"].max(), 640.49)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["mag"].min(), 3)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["mag"].max(), 8.1)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["nst"].min(), 3)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["nst"].max(), 167)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["gap"].min(), 10.0)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["gap"].max(), 353.0)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["dmin"].min(), 0.006421)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["dmin"].max(), 39.455)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["rms"].min(), 0.02)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["rms"].max(), 1.76)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["horizontalError"].min(), 0.09)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["horizontalError"].max(), 36.8)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["depthError"].min(), 0)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["depthError"].max(), 65.06)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["magError"].min(), 0.02)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["magError"].max(), 0.524)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["magNst"].min(), 1)
+    npt.assert_allclose(data["magNst"].max(), 944)
 
 
 def test_fractures_compilation():