A Golding worker has died at the Baralaba North coal mine in the Bowen Basin, Queensland.
Operations have been suspended at the site until further notice.
The accident is the fourth mining fatality in the past six months in Queensland and follows a death at the Middlemount coal mine two weeks ago.
While details surrounding the Baralaba incident remain unclear, Golding released a statement expressing its “thoughts and deepest sympathies” for the man’s partner, parents and work mates.
The company revealed the man was an experienced mining operator and had been working at the site since December last year, having previously worked for several years with Golding at another site.
Golding’s chief executive officer Geoff Caton said the company was continuing to work closely with the police and the mines inspectors in conducting a full investigation into the accident.
The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) also expressed its sympathy to the miner’s family, friends and local community, declaring “no death on a mine site is acceptable.”
QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane commented “the ongoing focus on safety procedures and safety lessons are a day to day reality for the Australian resources sector.”
“The resources sector has made constant improvements in its safety record over the last twenty years, but we cannot become complacent,” Macfarlane said.
Macfarlane said the industry was working on measures for a safety reset to refocus on safety in light of the recent tragedies.
The industry body regularly meets with the government and unions on matters, including safety and has redoubled that communication since the tragedy at the Middlemount mine.
The QRC plans to meet with the government, unions and workers this week on further actions that can be taken to increase safety across the industry.