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Investigation launched into Grosvenor explosion

11th May 2020

By: Esmarie Iannucci

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor: Australasia

     

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PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Queensland government has established an independent mine safety Board of Inquiry into the recent explosion at the Grosvenor coal mine, which left five people injured.

Mines Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said the board would be able to conduct public hearings, call witnesses and make broad inquiries, findings and recommendations relating to the underground gas explosion that occurred at Anglo American’s Grosvenor coal mine outside Moranbah.

“Last week’s underground gas explosion is something the industry has not experienced for more than quarter of a century,” Lynham said.

“An underground gas explosion in a coal mine is simply unacceptable in the twenty-first century. As serious as it was, it could have been far worse, as every underground coal miner and their families know.

“The inquiries that followed the underground gas explosions at Moura changed mine safety in Queensland. This latest board of inquiry is an opportunity to continue this government’s sweeping reforms to protect mineworkers.”

The last Queensland mine gas explosion was Moura No 2 in 1994, when 11 men failed to return to the surface.

“Queensland has the world’s toughest mine safety and health laws, more inspectors on the ground than in a decade, and industrial manslaughter laws before the Parliament,” the Minister said.

“This latest board of inquiry is an opportunity to continue this government’s reforms to protect mineworkers.”

Anglo American’s CEO of its metallurgical coal business, Tyler Mitchelson, said that the company would fully cooperate with all investigations into the methane ignition incident.

“We want answers as to why an ignition of methane occurred at Grosvenor mine and we understand that everyone else does too.

“We have already commenced our own technical review into the incident with industry experts, including in the areas of methane and ventilation management and forensic fire analysis.

“We will not recommence mining at Grosvenor until we know what happened and how we can prevent it happening again.”

Anglo American on Monday regained access to the longwall area where the incident occurred, marking the start of its own investigation into the incident.

The Queensland Resources Council on Monday also said it would cooperate with the independent Board of Inquiry, but CEO Ian Macfarlane has warned that no one should pre-empt the findings of the inquiry or the Mines Inspectorate investigation, which is already under way.

Lynham said a shortlist of board of inquiry members was being considered and terms of reference for the Board of Inquiry were being refined.

“I expect to be able to announce the board membership and detailed terms of reference by the end of May, with the inquiry to commence immediately.

“The board will conduct its inquiry so as not to prejudice any potential future prosecutions. It will provide an interim report before the election, which I will table in Parliament, and a final report, also to be tabled.”

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

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