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PrintThe MAX Molybdenum Mine at Trout Lake is dealing with its second shutdown in the last four weeks, and production has come to a standstill for at least seven more weeks.
According to the ROCA Mines website, the mine has suffered from a collapse and sloughing walls.
Roca said no workers were hurt.
“The stability of the sill pillar had been the focus of ongoing observation,” reads the media release. “The sill pillar apparently failed progressively, initially occurring as ravelling in the evening of Sept. 20 and ultimately failing at approximately midnight. No other instability has been observed since that time.”
An initial geotechnical review of the collapse was completed by the next day, but managers have had to revise their mining plan. They say it will take nearly two months to fix the damage.
This includes two weeks to patch up the ventilation system and an additional six weeks of other repairs before the mine can return to production.
President and CEO of ROCA Mines Scott Broughton said in the release that work from this summer included exploration and definition drilling, raising tailings dams, installation of a third mill and ongoing mine development.
“This work was being funded through cash-flow; however, the recent production shutdowns have created an unsustainable working capital deficit,” he said. “Therefore, the mine and mill will remain on a temporary care and maintenance program until suitable funding can be arranged to complete the required rehabilitation and development work described above.”
Representatives from ROCA Mines and government mining officials were not available for comment.
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