Three BC miners rescued after 60 hours

Three workers who were trapped at Newmont’s (NYSE, ASX: NEM; TSX: NGT) Red Chris mine in northwest British Columbia, have been safely rescued after more than 60 hours underground.

Kevin Coumbs, Darien Maduke and Jesse Chubaty — contractors for B.C.-based Hy-Tech Drilling — were in “good health and spirits” after being brought to the surface late Thursday night, Newmont said Friday in a statement.  The rescue followed two significant rockfalls that occurred early Tuesday morning, blocking their exit and later cutting off communication.

“This was a carefully planned and meticulously executed rescue plan,” the company said.

Before losing contact on Wednesday, the men had confirmed they were in one of the mine’s refuge chambers with steady access to food, water, and air, Newmont said. They were rescued at about 10:40 p.m. local time Thursday (1:40 a.m. ET Friday), following the complex but carefully coordinated operation.

Newmont halted all operations at Red Chris during the rescue efforts. The team used drones and a remote-controlled scoop, brought from the company’s Brucejack mine, to clear the massive debris—estimated at 20 to 30 metres long and up to eight metres high.

Newmont credited the successful outcome to “tireless collaboration, technical expertise, and above all, safety and care.”

B.C.’s Mining and Critical Minerals Minister Jagrup Brar said in a post in X he couldn’t describe “the relief we all feel knowing that these three workers are going to be able to go home to their families.”

Red Chris, in production since 2015, is a joint venture owned and operated 70% by Newmont and 30% by Imperial Metals (TSX: III). The mine is about 80 km south of Dease Lake and 1,050 km north of Vancouver.

A full investigation into the incident is underway.