Blog

The bodies of two Queensland miners have been found after a 30-tonne drill rig fell 25 metres in an underground zinc mine.

Dylan Langridge and Trevor Davis were laying explosives 100m below ground at Dugald River mine, 70km from Cloncurry in north-west Queensland, on Wednesday morning when the drill rig fell into a backfilled stope, a mining shaft where zinc was extracted before being refilled, at about 8am.

It’s understood Mr Langridge and Mr Davis were working near the rig when the stope caved. It’s not yet known what caused its filling to give way.

The operator of the drilling rig miraculously managed to escape from the machinery before it fell. He is receiving medical treatment and remains in a stable condition.

Mr Langridge and Mr Davis’ colleagues tried and failed to reach the pair over radio after discovering part of their ute hidden in the debris of the stope. 

The bodies of two miners who were trapped in the underground Dugald River mine have been recovered

Trevor Davis (left) and Dylan Langridge (right) were at the Dugald River zinc mine, about 70km from Cloncurry, in Queensland’s northwest, when a drill rig and a light vehicle suddenly fell into the mine pit just before 9am on Wednesday. There bodies have been found

The men were employed by mining contractor Barminco. The managing director and chief executive of its parent company, ASX-listed Perenti, Mark Norwell said of the men’s discovery: ‘This is a devastating outcome.

‘I want to extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to the families, friends, colleagues and loved ones of Trevor and Dylan, both of whom should have come home safely from work yesterday.’

On Thursday, mine owners MMG said ‘data captured from drone footage has enabled the rescue team to start active access to the vehicle which will involve reaching the vehicle from below’.

Mine general manager Tim Akroyd added: ‘The drone footage has enabled us to plan a rescue that is safe for both the emergency response team and minimises the danger to the recovery of the light vehicle. 

‘Our approach is to continue to safely remove material from around the vehicle so we can safely extract it.’

Rescue workers later cleared debris from the ute and pinpointed Mr Langridge and Mr Davis at 25m below the original worksite, a total of 125m underground. 

Mr Langridge began working with Barminco in March 2020 when he was 33 years old.

Zinc mines like Dugald River (pictured) are usually built around a vertical core of ore, with a roadway spiralling around it to allow miners to use explosives to carve out the mineral, said Professor David Cliff

He worked as a truck operator at Savannah mine, in WA, before transferring to help service crews at Dugald River later that year.

In October of 2021 he was promoted to charge up operator. 

Mr Davis began working for Barminco just months after Mr Langridge in August, 2020, at 36 years old.

He worked as a shotcrete operator at Rosemont mine, WA, before he was transferred to work alongside Mr Langridge as a charge up operator at Dugald River in November, 2021.

Mr Norwell said both men were a respected part of the Perenti workforce.

‘Our immediate and ongoing focus is on providing support to the families, friends and colleagues of Trevor and Dylan,’ he said, ABC reports. 

‘Barminco has been operating at MMG’s Dugald River mine since early 2012 with members of our workforce residing in the local area.

‘This tragic incident is devastating and will have a lasting impact on not only the families and friends of Trevor and Dylan, but also on the workforce of Dugald River, the Cloncurry and Mount Isa communities and the entire Perenti workforce.’

Two miners bodies have been found after they were trapped in the Dugald River zinc mine in rural northwest Queensland (pictured, a map of where the mine is located)

Dugald River general manager Tim Akroyd said everyone at the mine site is struggling to comprehend the devastating crash. 

‘Our hearts and thoughts are with the family and friends at this time and we will provide all support that we can,’ he said.

‘I’d like to sincerely thank everyone involved in the emergency response to this incident and the support we have received from community and authorities.’

Mining operation at Dugald River have been suspended while a joint investigation between Barminco and relevant authorities begins its analysis of the incident.