Nova Scotia mines minister says safety a priority after rockfall at Donkin Mine
February 10, 2020 | By The Canadian Press
HALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s minister of energy and mines says the province is working to ensure the safety of the Donkin Mine in Cape Breton following a recent rockfall.
Derek Mombourquette says the Labour Department is following up with investigators on site to make sure the coal mine is in compliance with regulations.
The province issued a stop-work order on Monday for one of two sections of the mine after a rockfall last weekend blocked one of the underground intersections. No one was hurt.
Mine owner Kameron Collieries was ordered to clean up the area of the rockfall and to submit an assessment of what happened that includes a proposal for corrective measures.
A Labour Department official had said the collapse was about four metres thick.
Mombourquette says while the mine is an economic opportunity for his riding, safety should be the top priority.
“When an incident takes place I’m very confident in the work the Labour Department does to ensure the safety of those employees … that they are bringing in the expertise that they need,” he said.
Last weekend’s rockfall was discovered during the Sunday night backshift.
In July 2019, a roof collapsed at the Donkin Mine and the site suffered two other rockfalls in December 2018.
