Four mine workers were killed and six others critically injured in an accident at Botswana's state-owned BCL copper mine, the minister of energy and minerals said on Monday.
4 killed in mining accident
"The ministry has initiated investigations on the accident to get to the root cause and will contract an independent safety auditor to look into the safety of BCL mine,” Mokaila said.
4 killed in mining accident
Recommended articles
![People are putting themselves at unnecessary risk by trying to catch the animals [BI]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'100'%20height%3D'100'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "People are putting themselves at unnecessary risk by trying to catch the animals [BI]")
The ten employees were travelling underground in a mine shaft elevator on Sunday evening when the accident happened, Minster of Minerals and Energy Kitso Mokaila said in statement.
Only one of the mine's four shafts was affected.
BCL is the country's only operational copper mine after two others were closed last year due to a slump in global commodity prices.
ADVERTISEMENT
The mine employs over 6000 people and produced 31,000 tonnes of copper matte and 139,000 tonnes of nickel concentrate in 2015.
In April the mine said it planned to raise $250 million through a bond open to both local and foreign players to finance acquisitions.
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng
Recommended articles
How we reduced road traffic crashes by 42% – FRSC boss
Motorists express worry as long fuel queues resurface in FCT
Reno's $10,000 Challenge: I didn't build any school in Anambra, Obi opens up
Bullied student threatens Abuja school with lawsuit if abusers are not punished
EFCC withdraws appeal against Yahaya Bello
Gov Zulum wants Army to establish military base in Sambisa forest
2 Wike loyalists exit Fubara's cabinet as Governor reshuffles
Ganduje believes APC is the answer to Nigeria’s problems
Spate of deaths strikes Nigerian movie industry, Nigerians calls for action
ADVERTISEMENT
![Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Joe Biden [BBC]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'300'%20height%3D'172'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Joe Biden [BBC]")