Letters to the Editor Deaths of two miners an accident

We were appalled by the tone of your editorial comment on the recent deaths of two miners at the Denison-Potacan potash mine in New Brunswick. We have been fortunate enough to visit that operation frequently, since construction commenced, as consultants to the financing banks, and have witnessed the development of a rock mechanics program which is, without doubt, one of the most thorough and intensive in the Canadian mining industry. That program, and the associated geological investigation of a complex potash deposit, has been conducted by a team of dedicated and competent professionals with the assistance of several internationally recognized consultants.

The accident, which resulted in the deaths of James Wilson and Bruce Braman, was a terrible tragedy and every effort should be made to analyze its causes to prevent such occurrences in the future. Implications that the accident resulted from a failure to devote sufficient attention to rock mechanics and geological programs is both grossly unfair to the professionals involved and demonstrates a total disregard for the facts. R. D. Pye, P.Eng. H. Burgess, P.Eng. C. R. Lattanzi, P.Eng.