Red Chris mine expands after deadly collapses expose safety flaws in B.C.

The Red Chris gold and copper mine in British Columbia is expanding its operations underground. Last July, two collapses trapped three workers for over two days during exploratory drilling. The incident has prompted multiple investigations into safety practices at the site. The collapses occurred while workers were conducting exploratory drilling at the mine. They took shelter in a refuge station and were rescued more than 48 hours later. Newmont Corp., the current operator, has since completed its own investigation into the accidents.

The company’s findings revealed that rock mass deterioration over four years had increased loads on the ground support system. It also noted that the previous operator had not used industry-leading standards for rock mass classification, leading to an overestimation of ground quality. Newmont has committed to corrective actions to prevent similar incidents as it expands the mine using block-caving, a method recently approved by the provincial government.

B.C. Mining Minister Jagrup Brar stated that the province’s investigation is still ongoing, with findings to be made public. Premier David Eby added that the government is conducting its own review to improve safety standards across the mining sector. Newmont will implement changes to enhance safety as it moves forward with underground expansion. The provincial government will release its investigation results in due course. Both the company and authorities aim to prevent future accidents at the site.