Rescue teams are continuing the effort to rescue three miners at a British Columbia mine. They have been busy using a remote-controlled scoop to clear the tunnel and sending drones underground to check conditions to rescue three miners. Three drillers became trapped at the Red Chris mine in northern British Columbia after two rockfalls blocked their exit with 30 metres of debris.
The miners, employees of Hy-Tech Drilling, have taken shelter in a MineARC refuge chamber designed for 16 people, which provides ample air, food, and water. The company believes the chamber remains stable and well-ventilated.
Specialists are working to restore communication, which they lost after the second collapse. The incident began on Tuesday when the workers—one each from B.C., Ontario, and Manitoba—moved to safety after the first rockfall, but the second collapse trapped them. The miners, diamond drillers who bore tunnels for future block-cave operations, are located about 600 metres inside the tunnel.
The mine has halted production of copper and gold during the rescue. Until recently, crews worked the mine mostly as an open pit, but they started developing underground mining in 2019. According to a knowledgeable source, each refuge chamber in the tunnel contains enough supplies for 16 people for three days.
Nolan Paquette of United Steelworkers Local 1-1937, which represents approximately 450 Red Chris workers, confirmed that the men were preparing for block-cave mining.
Geotechnical engineer Professor Dwayne Tannant from the University of British Columbia (UBC) explained in an interview with CBC News that rescuers must proceed cautiously and systematically to protect themselves and stabilize the tunnel before they remove debris in stages. This process could take several days.
Newmont, the mine’s owner, says it will fully investigate the incident. CEO Tom Palmer said the company will “focus all resources on safely recovering our team and conduct a thorough, independent review to understand what led to this situation,” and it plans to share the findings with the mining industry.
