Bloomberg : Barrick Says Australian Mine Fire Forces Evacuation

Barrick Says Australian Mine Fire Forces Evacuation

By Jesse Riseborough | October 24, 2007

Oct. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Barrick Gold Corp., the world's largest gold producer, said a fire at its Kanowna Belle gold mine in Western Australia earlier today had been extinguished and workers were being brought to the surface.

A truck engine caught fire at about 9:15 a.m. Perth time and forced an evacuation, the Toronto-based company said in an e-mailed statement. Mining operations will restart within 24 hours, Celina Watt, a spokeswoman, said by phone from Cairns.

"As a precautionary measure the 54 employees working underground at the time proceeded to the refuge chambers," the statement said. "The site mine-rescue team with regional assistance is in attendance, and are in the process of bringing the employees to the surface."

A total of 38 workers have already been evacuated and the remainder are expected to be brought out within about two hours, Watt said. No workers have been injured in the fire or the evacuation, she added.

Kanowna Belle is 570 kilometers (356 miles) from the state's capital Perth. Last year, the Kanowna operation produced 477,000 ounces of gold. All mining operations at the site ceased during the rescue, Watt said.

Barrick plans to produce 8.1 million to 8.4 million ounces of gold this year, the mining company said Aug. 1 as it reported second-quarter results. Barrick shares have gained 13 percent in Toronto trading this year and settled yesterday at C$40.44.

To contact the reporter for this story: Jesse Riseborough in Melbourne at jriseborough@bloomberg.net