PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Mining major Anglo American said this week that the company would only look to re-open the Grasstree coal mine, in Queensland, once the safety of personnel could be assured.
Operations at the mine were suspended last week after a contractor was killed on site.
This was the second fatality at the Grasstree mine this year.
“Over the coming weeks we will review all aspects of this tragic incident as well as our operating processes to ensure the mine is ready for a safe restart and continued safe operation,” said Anglo American’s CEO for the coal business, Seamus French.
“Our one and only focus right now is our people’s safety and making sure that when we do restart, we are totally confident the working environment is safe for all those who work at the Grasstree mine.”
Anglo was, at this stage, not able to forecast when mining operations at Grasstree would resume.
French said that, in the meantime, the company would work closely with the Queensland Mines Inspectorate, and would conduct its own investigation into the accident.
The Grasstree underground mine forms part of the greater Capcoal operation, which consists of two underground and two opencut mines. Capcoal produces some 11.8-million tonnes of coal a year.