Some good news.

[acropolite (Phil)]

Some very good news, just heard on the TV that two of the three trapped miners at the Beaconsfield mine, have been found alive (one unfortunately perished in the rockfall). I did not know the three trapped miners but have had a long involvement (installation and maintenance of the phone systems and data cabling) since the mine reopened some years ago and know some of those who work underground at the mine personally. Unfortunately there has been talk in the media of safety issues, something which in my experience is totally inaccurate. I have been down in the mine on several occasions to do work and IMO the safety systems and general approach to health & safety is as good as it is possible to implement.

[davidpretorius]

just heard too, excellent news for such a small town!!

i concur, this is not a chinese mine or a corner on the targa rally cordoned off from the public with barrier tape (bloody idiots)....this site and all the others ie comalco, incat etc are extremely worksafe.

so yay yay yay and well handled by all involved!!!

[Striker (Tony)]

Me too....saw while watching Big Brother...lol

I said to the wife they have no chance yesterday.....this is great news.

It would be a tuff job working 1km below ground level.

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

I must admit I didn't rate their chances very high originally. So glad to be proven wrong. Good luck to them all, and their families.

[acropolite (Phil)]

I've been down to about the level that they were at. The first 375 metres down is by a cage/lift which doubles to take the ore out. From there down there is a spiral tunnel (big enough to drive a truck down) which from memory spirals down to about 1200m level. At 375 metres the temperature is a balmy 25 degrees C, at the deeper levels around 35 degrees C. The biggest annoyance at those levels is the noise, the ventilation fans are deafening, even with hearing protection. As I said safety is first & foremost, a seismic monitoring system was recently installed to give forewarning of tremors that are likely to cause rockfalls, there are safe areas to gather in the event of emergencies and emergency phone points as well. I can't imagine what more anyone could do to prevent or minimise the outcome of such a fall.

[tornado33]

Yep tis great news indeed.
Scott

[beren]

Fantastic news !!

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Absolutely Beautiful News!!!
Not sure... but I think I heard the father of one of the newly found alive guys , paying tribute to his "dead" son on friday night - Radio National.

If so, how must that father feel?

Thank God or whatever floats your boat!

Hug your kids.
Cheers
Doug

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

Great news. Thanks for the insight Phil. I always thought it was cold down there for a long way before it got warmer.

[iceman (Mike)]

WHat a rollercoaster ride for the families involved.

I heard this morning they've pushed a microphone through the 12m of rubble to talk to the men. Incredible stuff.

Great news to all involved.