Having completed a crosscut to reach the 6723 stope at the Macassa gold mine of Lac Minerals (TSE) west of Kirkland Lake, Ont., recovery workers are clearing the loose material that resulted from rockburst activity in late November and blocked the escape of two miners.
At presstime, 5,800 tons of material (including debris, broken rock and muck) had been removed via a new raise. Underground operators are using a remote-controlled scoop to remove the material.
The crosscut broke into the stope a few feet west of the back end of a load-haul-dump machine which is visible from the footwall and was damaged by the material loosened by the two rockbursts. There was no sign of the two miners.
In formulating its rescue plan in the days following the rockburst, Lac projected a 30-day work effort. But by the Jan. 6 deadline, it was apparent that more time would be required to clear the stope where the miners are believed to have been trapped. The 6723 stope is more than one mile below surface.
There were 22 miners working underground at the time of the Nov. 26 rockbursts; 20 reached the surface safely. Lac immediately suspended mining operations at Macassa.
The Macassa mine is the last of the old-time gold producers in Kirkland Lake, Ont.
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