ELKO, Nev.—Newmont Mining Corp. evacuated dozens of miners from an underground gold mine in northeast Nevada on Tuesday after an electrical flash of an unknown nature triggered an emergency response.
Newmont spokeswoman Mary Korpi said all 79 of the miners have been accounted for and no injuries were reported at the Leeville mine the Denver-based company owns and operates in Eureka County about 20 miles north of Carlin.
The miners initially were sent to underground refuge areas after one observed the flash at an electrical load center about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, Korpi said.
The decision to evacuate the mine was made about 10 a.m. after mine rescue teams inspected three different load centers, she said.
Mining operations will not resume until officials complete a full electrical inspection of the mine, Korpi said. She did not know how long that would take.
“We don’t know if anything other than the flash occurred,” Korpi said.
Newmont spokesman Matt Murray described a load center as a large surge protector for the 480 volts of power running into the mine.
———
Information from: Elko Daily Free Press,
