Mt Lyell copper mine rock fall delays re-opening, in further blow for workers (ABC)

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A rock fall at the suspended Queenstown's Mount Lyell mine copper mine has come as a "kick in the guts" for workers struggling on half pay, a union says.

The fall in the ventilation shaft comes only months after three deaths forced a halt to mining.

Last December, two workers died after they fell down a shaft, and in January the mine ceased production after a contractor was killed in a mud rush.

Robert Flanagan from the Australian Workers Union said the continued closure of the mine was devastating news.

"I think everybody would see this as a real kick in the guts for all stakeholders that rely on the Mt Lyell operation," he said.

"We were looking forward to resumption of activity at the site commencing at the end of July.

"Potentially, that's now pushed back by two or three months... and that just makes things more difficult for those that have been trying to cope with the situation."

Since the third death at the mine, about 200 workers have been on half pay.

They were also told last month the company wanted to introduce more automated mining methods, for safety reasons.

The rock fall happened in an area of the mine that was the only means of exhaust ventilation from its active levels.

About 500 metres of the key exhaust airway was believed to have been damaged and the main power supply would have to be re-routed.

Copper Mines of Tasmania to review mine's viability

Copper Mines of Tasmania's (CMT) General Manager Scot Clyde said it was likely to take two to three months to repair the latest damage, and the work could only be done when the mine was not operating.

Mr Clyde said it also meant the company would need to review the mine's viability.

"We will ... need to reassess the economic viability of the mine, as this latest incident will incur significant additional costs which will negatively impact on what was already a marginal economic position," Mr Clyde said.

CMT said it would take up to three months to clear the ventilation drive and re-route the mine's main high-voltage power supply.

Mr Clyde said in a statement the rock fall had not put employees at risk.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/24355453/mt-lyell-copper-mine-rock-fall-delays-re-opening-in-further-blow-for-workers/