Company says three trapped miners in B.C. behind 30 metres of debris

By Canadian Press on July 24, 2025.

DEASE LAKE — The operator of the Red Chris mine in British Columbia says three trapped workers are behind a wall of debris between 20 and 30 metres long and seven to eight metres high.

A statement from Newmont Corp. says they are using a remote-controlled scoop, moved from the nearby Brucejack mine, to begin removing debris and restore access.

The statement says the refuge chamber where the workers are staying is not in the same area as the rockfalls that trapped them “and is understood to be stable and well-ventilated.”

It says specialized drones have been sent in to assess the geotechnical conditions underground.

Teams are restoring the specialized communication system to try to re-establish communication with the workers.

The workers were trapped Tuesday after two rockfalls, and the company says they have enough air, food and water for an extended stay, although their communication was cut off after the second cave in.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24. 2025.

The Canadian Press