Rio Tinto’s Diavik mine, located about 200 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle in the Northwest Territories, is facing a criminal case after a 2003 accident left an employee seriously injured, reported Reuters.
“[The] Diavik diamond mine is charged with multiple counts alleging violations of the Mine Health and Safety Act, including failure to implement and maintain safe work practices, and failure to take every reasonable measure to protect the health and safety of their employees, as well as other offences,” the local Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC) said, but gave no details of the accident.
Rio Tinto said in a statement that Diavik took the health and safety of its employees very seriously. The miner declined to comment further, given the criminal case.
Reuters said a hearing will take place on March 19 at the criminal court in Yellowknife.
Diavik started operations in 2003 and comprises of four diamond-bearing pipes that Rio Tinto mines using a combination of open pit and underground mining.