Operations have paused at Tanami mine following the death of a worker.
The worker, aged 47, died at the mine site located 550km northwest of Alice Springs on Wednesday.
Site operator Newmont has not disclosed how the worker died, but a formal safety investigation into the incident is underway.
‘Newmont is deeply saddened to confirm that a member of our workforce has died following an incident at the Tanami mine site,’ a Newmont spokesperson said.
‘Our thoughts are with the individual’s family, friends and colleagues during this very difficult time.
‘Emergency response procedures were immediately activated, and relevant authorities have been notified and are attending the site. Newmont will provide our full support to assist with the investigation into this tragic incident.
‘All activities at the Tanami site have been suspended. Further information will be provided when it is appropriate to do so.
‘Safety remains our highest priority, and we are committed to supporting our people.’
A 47-year-old worker died at Tanami mine (above) on Wednesday
Newmont has operated the site, which is one of Australia’s largest underground gold mines, since 2002.
More than 1,800 fly-in fly-out work at the mine, which is more than 1.7km deep.
Activities at the mine were suspended following the incident, which will be investigated by NT WorkSafe.
‘Initial inquiries indicate a potential failure of a winch occurred during a lift as a contributing factor to the incident,’ an NT WorkSafe spokesperson said.
Daily Mail has contacted Newmont for further comment.
