Three geologists carrying out a routine safety inspection at a mine in the Catalonia Region of Spain have been killed by a roof collapse. The incident happened about 900 m below ground at the Cabanasses Potash Mine in the town of Suria, about 75 km to the northwest of Barcelona, at about 9.00 am local time on Thursday 9 March 2023. All three are described as having been graduate students, with one in the currently studying for a PhD in geology with the University of Barcelona, while the other two were completing MSc degrees with the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. The cause of the incident has not yet been determined, with activity at the mine having been halted while an investigation is carried out.
Potash (potassium salt) is an important mineral in the production of commercial fertilizers, with the Cabanasses mine currently being the only such mine in Spain and one of the largest in Western Europe. The mine is operated by Iberpotash, a subsidiary of the Israel-based ICL Group. The last fatal accident at the site happened in December 2013, when two workers at the mine were killed in a roof collapse.
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