A 21-year-old man lost his life at the St Ives gold mine near Kambalda in Western Australia's Goldfields, as confirmed by the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS). This sad event represents the second fatality at this major gold mine in just 18 months. Despite the incident occurring yesterday afternoon, both the industry regulator and the company have chosen not to disclose any specifics regarding the man's death at this stage.
Owned by the South African mining giant Gold Fields and in operation since 1981, St Ives is a well-established mining site where the tragic incident took place. The mine had previously encountered a fatality when 37-year-old Perth FIFO worker Terry Hogan passed away at the Hamlet underground mine in October 2022. Gold Fields' acting executive vice president for Australia, Graeme Ovens, expressed deep sorrow over the loss and emphasized the company's commitment to ensuring the safety of its workforce by suspending all mining operations following the incident until investigations are completed.
The regulatory bodies, including WA Police and WorkSafe, are actively involved in the ongoing investigations into the tragic event. The safety regulator DMIRS has confirmed that this is the first fatality at a mine site in Western Australia's significant resources industry this year. The broader mining industry in the region witnessed two fatalities in the Pilbara in the previous year, highlighting the importance of prioritizing safety in such hazardous work environments. While the authorities continue their inquiries, WA Police will be preparing a report for the coroner as part of the process to understand the circumstances that led to the young man's untimely death at the St Ives gold mine.