Province requests third-party review of repair work

DONKIN — Donkin Mine remains under a stop work order even though the work required after the most recent roof fall has been completed.

Instead of allowing Kameron Colliers to resume operations at the world's only sub-sea level mine, the Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration are requesting a third party review the work done to repair the roof and reinforce it to prevent future incidents.

The audit will also include an analysis to try and determine what caused the roof falls.

"The fact that we've had two rock falls in the month of July, quite close together and increasing in size, is concerning," said Jeff Dolan, a senior executive director with the department.

"We are now exercising a part of the compliance order that authorizes, under our legislation and regulations, authorizes our department to conduct all necessary testing and seek all opinions, third party and otherwise, to ensure we are doing a root cause analysis and factoring in the overall safety of the mine."

TWO IN ONE WEEK

In July, there were two roof falls in the number two tunnel — the main entrance for mining personnel to enter the mine — six days apart.

The first happened on July 9 and was described as a small roof fall by the province. The second happened about 600 feet from the first on July 15 and was much larger. Minister Jill Balser called the second roof fall "significant."

The July 15 roof fall was 50 feet long, 15 feet wide and three feet in height.

There were no injuries reported after either roof fall and no mining personnel were underground at the time.

Dolan said the tunnel is about 40 years old, however, the infrastructure of the tunnel is newer.

He also said they are factoring in the effects of weather and humidity on the rock formations around the tunnel as part of their analysis.

"We're at a point now where we want to ensure we are doing our due diligence," said Dolan. "Our main focus is to make sure everyone in and around that mine comes home safely every day."

INCREASED INSPECTIONS

When it was announced that Donkin Mine would be allowed to reopen in September 2022, the province said they would be doing more inspections — announced and unannounced — at the worksite.

Balser called the worksite "complex" and said it was the most inspected in the province.

Since September 2022, the province has conducted 26 inspections of Donkin Mine and has issued:

■ 32 warnings

■ 42 compliance orders (three included stop work orders)

■ 17 administrative penalties

The Cape Breton Post asked how much these extra inspections have cost. Dolan said he wasn't able to provide those numbers but would be able to get them to the Post after the update.

By publication time, this information was not received.

Repeated questions from media regarding when might the mine be closed by the province permanently were not directly answered.

"We know that falls are an inherent risk to the coal mining industry. Roof falls are an inherent risk," said Dolan.

"The stop work order will remain in place and the mine will remain closed until we are assured by the mine and we can verify that all steps to ensure they are in regulatory compliance and, as a result, achieving safety have been met. "

The consultant company being contracted by the province to conduct the audit of Kameron Collieries' work on the tunnel is Canadian. Dolan said they were unable to provide the name of the company at this time.

Donkin Mine is the only underground mine in Nova Scotia that is currently operational.

Balser stressed worker safety is the department's biggest concern.

"We do know that Donkin Mine … legally can operate in this province but as it's been said time and time again, we want to ensure workplace safety," Balser said.

"We think about those workers, each and every day, as they go underground and do the work they are doing. So knowing that incidents have taken place, we are now doing our due diligence to make sure that mine is safe."