The Forensic of Ontario has announced an investigation into the death of a 64 -year -old New Brunswick mining worker northwest of Thunder Bay in 2020 that resulted in strong fines for the companies involved.
Edouard Gallant died on May 27, 2020, after suffering critical injuries in a mud race (an un controlled flow of disgusted mineral saturated with concrete and water) in the Lac des iles mine. The open Pozo Underground Paladio installation is within Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek, known as Gull Bay First Nation.
Gallant, from Dunlop, NB, was used by the contractor SCR Mining and tunnels at that time.
In October 2023, Impala Canada received a fine of $ 300,000 And SCR received a fine of $ 130,000 for not guaranteeing security provisions in the workplace in relation to Gallant’s death. Recently, the Impala Canada CEO, Tim Hill, announced that the mine It will be closed in May 2026 due to the fall in paladium prices.
The investigation, which is mandatory under the Coronant Law, was announced on Tuesday by Dr. Kevin Miller, regional supervisor for the Northwest region. The date and location have not yet been announced.
The jury of five people from an investigation has the task of identifying who died, when and where they died, their medical cause of death, and why they died, classified as natural causes, accidents, homicide, suicide or indeterminate. The jury members cannot assign guilt or make any legal judgment, but they can make recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths.
Reasons behind 2023 fines
In 2023, the Ministry of Labor, Immigration, Training and Development of Ontario Skills said that “Muck travels through the ore steps when flying and sliding along the pass.
“Over time, mineral pass walls can be damaged and expanded, allowing the surrounding rock to fail and fall into the passage, which can negatively affect mines production.”
In the case of Gallant, it was at the bottom of the mineral pass, trying to eliminate the locks so that the additional spill could be evacuated, said the ministry.
“The worker, who communicated with colleagues at the top of the mineral pass with a radio, advised that there were some problems for the MUCA to lower the mineral pass to the jump. Very shortly after, the Derret suddenly fell.”
The muck then “overwhelmed the protective barriers at the base of the mineral pass, fatally wounding the worker.”
The Ministry said that Lac des iles did not comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Law, since its risk assessment at that time should have “considered the location and placement of SCR personnel during mud extraction activities that could represent a danger to workers.”
In addition, the owner of an underground mine must develop and maintain a written water management program with measures and procedures to prevent unwanted or not controlled water flows in all areas of the mine, including mineral passes, the Ministry of Labor said.
However, “because mineral passes of the mine are usually dry, [Lac des Iles’s] The plan did not include procedures to protect against the addition and accumulation of water in mineral passes related to repair activities. “
