Three workers trapped at northwest B.C. mine

A rescue operation is underway for three trapped workers at a mine in northwestern B.C.

Premier David Eby said during the closing news conference of the First Ministers’ meeting Wednesday that two of the miners are from B.C. and the other is from Ontario.

He said the miners appear to be uninjured, and rescue teams will be “working overtime to bring these workers home safely to their families.”

Eby initially said the accident happened “overnight,” but the premier’s office later clarified to Vista News that Eby misspoke and the incident happened earlier on Tuesday.

The Red Chris porphyry copper-gold mine is located about 18 kilometres southeast of Iskut, B.C.

The mine’s U.S.-based operator, Newmont Corporation, said in a statement there were two separate collapses in an underground access way Tuesday morning.

It said the three workers were working about 500 metres away from the area of an initial rockfall and were told to move to a refuge area.

“Following the first event, contact was established with the individuals and confirmation was received that they had safely relocated to one of multiple self-contained refuge bays. The refuge stations are equipped with adequate food, water and ventilation to support an extended stay,” Newmont said in the statement.

Newmont said rescuers were able to communicate with the workers after the initial incident, but a second collapse cut off communications.

Operations at the mine have been suspended while the rescue operation is ongoing.

Newmont said it is assembling specialized teams from nearby mine sites to help respond to the situation.

“All appropriate emergency response protocols were activated immediately. Newmont is actively assessing all methods and technologies available to restore communication and safely bring our team members to surface. Our priority remains on ensuring the safety of the three individuals and of the emergency response teams supporting this effort,” Newmont said.

“We are aware of the incident at Red Chris mine in northwestern B.C. and are working closely with the mine operator to support them,” Jagrup Brar, B.C.’s minister of mining and critical minerals, said in an emailed statement.

“Our thoughts are with the workers, their families and co-workers, and we will do everything we can to support the company’s efforts to ensure the affected workers are brought to safety as soon as possible,” Brar said.

He said the ministry has dispatched a geotechnical inspector of mines to the site to work with Newmont to support their rescue effort. He also said the Ministry of Transportation has expedited a permit to allow heavy equipment to be moved from the nearby Brucejack mine to Red Chris to assist.