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A miner inside the Broken Hills gold mine - Source: ONE News -
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The Department of Labour has revealed the name of the mine it has closed for breaching health and safety rules.
Broken Hills, described as a small underground gold mine in the Coromandel, was closed yesterday after failing to rectify safety problems.
Acting Chief Inspector Mines, Gavin Taylor said the mine, which was non-operational, had failed to comply with section 53 of the underground mining regulations which prohibits the use of electrical equipment that uses oil as a means of arc suppression, cooling or insulation inside the mine.
Taylor also said the mine only has one access and egress from the mine, when regulation requires a minimum of two.
"If there was a fire ... obviously you need to have a second way out of the mine site," Taylor.
"It's in the hands of the operator to come back and tell us what he wishes to do and if he doesn't come back then the mine will still be non-operational."
He said he had previously issued a 'do better' notice but upon inspection last month, the decision was taken to close the mine.
The mine's owners said it's a small family affair that has been operating safely for 12 years.
Miranda Rabone said she, her husband and sons have worked hard to restore the 100-year-old mine and while it was paying for itself it was not making a fortune.
Rabone said the mine has had up to seven people working in it, including a couple of Canterbury University students just before Christmas, when they had to close.
She said they have never had anything more serious than a bruised finger and will continue to maintain the mine in case they can reopen it some time in the future.
Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) assistant national secretary Ged O'Connell described the decision as reassuring.
He said the mines inspectorate has been revamped and well resourced.
The mine can reopen to bring its operations back up to scratch, but for nothing else.
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