Nova Scotia

Work resumes at Donkin coal mine after rock fall

A stop work order has been lifted at the Donkin underground coal mine in Cape Breton. Work was halted July 8 after a rock fall about a kilometre inside an entrance tunnel.

Kameron Collieries must inspect and record new mine supports daily to keep operating

A stop-work order has been lifted at the Donkin mine. (Tom Ayers/CBC)

A stop-work order has been lifted at the Donkin coal mine in Cape Breton, N.S.

Work was halted July 8 after there was a rock fall about a kilometre inside an entrance tunnel. The mine was on a brief summer shutdown at the time and there were no injuries.

Scott Nauss, the senior director of inspections and compliance with the Nova Scotia Department of Labour, said the mine has installed some "high-priority" supports in the area of the rock fall and will add supports in other parts of the tunnel over the next two weeks.

The department has ordered the mine operator, Kameron Collieries, to inspect the supports daily and to record the inspections.

Coal production at Donkin is limited to two small areas following a series of roof-falls last year.