Following reports of eight miners trapped in a mine in Burkina Faso, the country’s government has launched a judicial investigation into a flood at the zinc mine.
Slamreportsarica.com reported yesterday that eight miners are trapped inside a mine in the gold-rich West Africa country few months after an explosion that killed about 60 people at a makeshift gold mine in a village in south-west Burkina Faso, in February,
Following a visit to the site of the trapped miners on Sunday, Burkina Faso Prime Minister Albert Ouedraogo said that managers of the mine had been banned from leaving the country while investigations were underway into the cause of the accident.
A statement from the Prime Minister’s office said “precautionary measures have been taken to prevent the persons in charge of the mine from leaving the country and instructions have been given firmly to the Minister of Security for this.”
The mining company involved, Canada-based Trevali Mining Corp suspended operations at its Perkoa mine on April 16, when heavy rainfall caused flash floods and left eight workers missing underground.
The Mining Corporation however denied receiving any official communication from the Prime Minister’s office. The company said it is also investigating the cause of the accident, it said.
“Senior management of Trevali remains at the Perkoa Mine and are overseeing the active dewatering and mine rehabilitation work,” said Jason Mercier, the company’s director of investor relations.