Coal, copper operations win B.C. safety awards

Two coal mines and a base metal operation won prizes in three separate categories at a provincial mine rescue and first-Aid competition held in Prince George, B.C.

Winners include the Tumbler Ridge mine of Quinette Coal (surface category), the Sparwood operation of Elkview Coal (first-Aid) and the Sullivan mine of Cominco (underground).

Twelve teams competed in events ranging from simulated fire fighting to search and rescue, and emergency first-Aid.

Winners in other categories include Homestake Canada’s Eskay Creek gold operation, which received the Barry Abbot Memorial Trophy for best underground team, and Highland Valley Copper’s Logan Lake mine, which won the Maurice Boise Memorial Trophy for best surface team.

Among the individual winners were Alan Day of Prime Resources’ Snip gold mine, who won the award for best underground mine-rescue co-ordinator, and Wilf Penney of Westmin’s Myra Falls polymetallic mine, who was named best bench technician.