Australian mining business Wollongong Coal will be suspending its last operational mine at Wongawilli in New South Wales for safety reasons. The decision was made after NSW Resources Regulator discovered a roof “fall” on the main belt road when miners went underground on April 1, Australian Securities Exchange reports.
The mine’s activities have significantly slowed down. Suspending the operations will eliminate 45 employees from the job force, mostly affecting operators, electricians, fitters, deputies, and other staff. The company said one part of the team will continue to engage in activities that involve care and maintenance.
According to Bob Timbs from the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union, the workforce will be informed in advance about the company’s plans for Wongawilli. “They’re going to recover whatever equipment they can,” he said. “Some CAS Mining employees will remain at the site. They’re looking at redeployment options to other mines and/or Russell Vale.”
Many employees have been assigned to the task at the Russell Vale mine because of which Wollongong Coal is confident about resuming its mining activities once approvals come through. This development has been difficult for the company, with poor assessment of the mine’s environmental impact on the water catchment.