A worker has been killed at the Mount Lyell Copper Mine at Queenstown, Tasmania, at about 8.00 am on Friday 17 January 2014. George Welsh (53) of Queenstown was buried by a mud discharge while working at a lower level in the mine. A mud discharge in a mine typically happens when excavation exposes a pocket of mud (a mixture of clay and water), which then flows into the shaft.
The Mount Lyell Copper Mine. The Advocate.
This is the third fatality in six weeks at the Mount Lyell Mine. on 9 December 2013 Craig Gleeson (45) and Alistair Lucas (25), died after falling over 20 m down a shaft during maintenance work, prompting a two week closure at the mine while an investigation was carried out. The mine will now be closed again while a fresh investigation is carried out by WorkSafe Tasmania and the Tasmania Police.
See also Two workers killed in accident at Tasmanian copper mine, Worker killed at Western Australia ore mine, Mining company fined for desecrating sacred site in Australia's Northern Territory, Acid spill from gold mine adds to Edith River's woes and Copper spill causes pollution alert on the Edith River in the Northern Territory, Australia.
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