Consolidated Minerals stops work at nickel mine
Consolidated Minerals Ltd. has stopped operations at its Kambalda nickel mines in Western Australia after a worker was crushed to death in a rock fall on Friday.
A spokesman said operations at the Beta Hunt mine and a neighbouring mine would be suspended probably till Tuesday while the death of the 43-year-old, experienced contractor in the underground mine was investigated.
The rock fall was confined to a small area, he said.
“We’re cooperating with the authorities fully to understand what had happened and are quite confident we can resume safe operations,” he said.
“We’re expecting to resume operations on Tuesday.”
The impact on production at the Kambalda operation, which the company has forecast will produce between 6,000 and 6,400 tonnes of nickel in the year to June 2007, was not expected to be significant, he said.
Consolidated Minerals is in the process of expanding the Kambalda mines to produce around 15,000 tonnes a year in three to five years. ($1=A$1.32)
