As three miners remain trapped underground at the Red Chris mine in northern B.C., a leading mining expert says they are likely “a bit worried” but generally calm in knowing they will be rescued.
With two reported collapses now blocking miners behind a pile of debris 20 to 30 metres long and seven to eight metres high, professor of mining engineering Ferri Hassani of McGill University says that rescue time will depend on the size of the rocks blocking the tunnel and whether secondary blasting will be required.
