Australia’s White Rock Minerals has suspended underground operations at its Woods Point gold project after an earthquake struck near Mansfield in Victoria. The earthquake struck at 9:15 am on 22 September occurring 10 kilometres beneath the surface at a magnitude of 5.9, according to Geoscience Australia says a report in australianmining.com.
Located 60 kilometres south of the estimated epicentre, the Woods Point operation reported significant shaking on-site at the time of the earthquake. Nine workers were underground at the time and all personnel are safe, accounted for and are now all back on the surface. White Rock reported no immediate damage on-site at Woods Point and the company is currently following emergency response protocols. The company has also devised an inspection plan for the site and underground infrastructure.
White Rock stated there is no plan to immediately return to underground activities until the aftershocks have subsided. The company will also wait until the site integrity has been consolidated and inspections have confirmed no damage.
It is understood the tremor was felt across Victoria, in Canberra and parts of New South Wales. A spokesperson for the Minerals Council of Australia said no damage or injuries had been reported at Victorian mines in the wake of the earthquake.
Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished
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