Call for site general manager of the mine to be ‘immediately stood down’ after fatal tragedy

Victoria’s peak body representing miners wants an overhaul of operations at Ballarat Gold Mine where a father was killed and a 21-year-old man was critically injured last week.

Victoria’s peak body representing miners has called for an overhaul of operations at a Ballarat mine where a man was killed and another critically injured last week.

Kurt Hourigan and a 21-year-old miner were engaging in ‘air-legging’, a manual style of mining, when the collapse at Ballarat Gold Mine occurred.

In a letter obtained by the Herald Sun, Victorian branch secretary of the Australian Workers’ Union Ronnie Hayden demanded the air legging mining technique be stopped at the mine.

Mr Hayden also called upon the site general manager of the mine to be “immediately stood down” and believed he “played a significant role in the actions that led to the mine collapse”.

“We believe that having (him) onsite presents an ongoing risk to our members and other mine workers,” the letter states.

The union’s Ronnie Hayden has called upon the site general manager of the mine to be immediately stood down. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Mr Hayden claimed the geological conditions in Ballarat are “not suitable” for this kind of mining and should not be used.

“At no stage should any miner be standing or working under unsupported ground,” he said.

Site general manager Peter Crooks, who is based out of Perth, is understood to have brought air legging to the Ballarat mine when he recently took over.

The Herald Sun understands Mr Crooks has used the same air legging company across several mines he has worked at, and this particular air legging company to the site.

Former health and safety manager of the Ballarat Gold Mine Rick Walker, who was made redundant in early January, said he and two geotechnical engineers who raised concerns about the introduction of air legging after finding the ground conditions were dangerous last year, were “forced out of the job”.

Kurt Hourigan was killed in last week’s Ballarat mine disaster. Picture: Facebook

“The recommendation by the geotechnical engineers was that there needed to be better ground control, whether it be through mesh, or shotcrete, to bind it together to make it safe (for air legging),” he said.

“The general manager said it didn’t need that and it would be more hazardous putting it in place which has obviously proved to be completely incorrect.

“The general manager then brought in another geotechnical engineer that he had worked with previously, which contradicted the other two engineers.”

A source familiar with the mine’s operations said Mr Crooks introduced the air legging technique to Ballarat, which hadn’t been done at the mine before.

A Victory Minerals Company Spokesperson said the company suspended air leg mining on March 14, and have not decided whether the practice will be reinstated.

“Whether air leg mining is ever resumed will depend on whether it is safe to do so,” they said.

“We will consult with all stakeholders, including the AWU, before any decision is made to resume air leg mining.”

They said it was unfair to stand down any employees at this stage.

“There are two investigations currently on foot into this tragic incident. It is not fair or appropriate to stand down any employee unless there is clear evidence justifying such a decision,” they said.

There is a push for the air legging mining technique to be stopped at the Ballarat Gold Mine. Picture: Ian Wilson

Professor of aerospace structures and engineering at RMIT University Raj Das said in most situations, air legging, a method where a cylinder operated by compressed air is used to drill into rock, should be avoided. However there are also circumstances where air legging may be appropriate.

“It’s an old technique, it used to be a common technique decades ago. But it’s become less prevalent overtime with other technological advances,” he said.

“It’s a hand held, manual technique, usually using two miners. If they’re on unsupported ground it can lead to a collapse of the rock or ground.

“It can be used in certain cases when testing the rocks or ground but it should not be used as a standard mining technique. It is not safe anymore.”

The mine is owned by Victory Minerals, which is in turn owned by a Singaporean company called Chrysos Investments. The deed of company arrangement for the new ownership was officially entered into on December 19.

Chrysos Investments is owned by several shareholders, including London hedge fund Acheron and Capital Union Bank.

The mine was previously owned by another Singaporean company, Shen Yao Holdings.

There had also been issues around mining waste disposal and previous interactions with WorkSafe Victoria over safety issues at the mine during this time.