British Columbia

Vancouver's Great Panther Mining says worker killed at Mexican mine

A 41-year-old worker has died in a rock fall at an underground silver mine in the Guanajuato Mine Complex.

41-year-old worker died in a rock fall at silver mine in the Guanajuato Mine Complex

Great Panther Mining Ltd. says a silver miner has been killed in a rock fall at its mine in Guanajuato, Mexico. File photo. (Great Panther Silver)

Vancouver-based Great Panther Mining Ltd. has identified the man killed during a rock fall at its San Ignacio underground mine in Mexico on Friday.

The intermediate gold and silver mining company said Monday the victim was 41-year-old Jesus Demetrio Ramirez Bueno, who was employed by contractor Demili-Desarrollos Mineros Librado.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our colleagues and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends,'' said interim CEO Jeffrey Mason in a statement.

The statement said the fatal incident occurred at an auxiliary access ramp. The area was closed Friday and remained closed Monday pending release by government authorities and a full independent accident review, the company said.

"The immediate contractor and employees involved in the area were given the weekend off out of respect to them and the deceased employee,'' said Alex Heath, director of corporate development and investor relations, in an email.

The mine is part of Great Panther's Guanajuato Mine Complex, one of two primary silver mines it operates in Mexico.

The company said operations in the rest of the complex were unaffected.

The company also operates the Tucano Gold Mine in Brazil and is working to restart the suspended Coricancha Mine in Peru after buying it in 2017.