Owners of the Mt Lyell copper mine in Tasmania, where three workers were killed in six weeks just five months ago, have said that jobs will have to go in order to make way for the safety measures needed to make the site safe to work again.
A spokesperson for Copper Mines of Tasmania (CMT), told The Mercury newspaper that the mine would re-start limited underground production by the end of June but that 60 places would have to go. Another 24 jobs could go in the new year.
On 9 December last year, two members of a maintenance crew were killed at the mine after falling down a mine shaft. Then on 17 January this year, just 6 weeks later, another worker was killed after a mud slide trapped him the the loader he was operating at the time.
The mine has been closed since that time with approximately half of the employees and contractors receiving half pay.
West Coast Mayor Robyn Gerrity told The Mercury, “There is a sense of relief that while some jobs will go, there is now a concrete plan in place for Mt Lyell’s future after months of nervous waiting.”
CMT General Manager Scot Clyde told The Mercury the company would work to make retrenchment the last resort for those workers no longer needed.
Mr Clyde said new mining methods including automation and remote mining methods would be employed to reduce further risk of injuries or fatalities due to mud rushes.
“While this is good news for the bulk of our employees, the local community and suppliers, it will significantly reduce ore production over the next two years and unfortunately this requires fewer employees,” Mr Clyde said.
Mr Clyde said that CMT was conducting exploration drilling to try to prove up other ore deposits on the Mt Lyell site.
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