Kazakhstan’s worst-ever mining incident kills 45

A fire at the ArcelorMittal Kostenko coal mine on 28 October claimed the lives of 45 workers, according to media reports. Methane gas is to blame for the incident in the Karaganda region, according to Reuters and WION, which both called the event the worst in the region’s post-Soviet history. Rescuers were warned early in their effort that chances of…

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Methane explosion kills 31 in South Africa

candle flame

Authorities reportedly revealed late last week that 31 illegal miners at a shuttered South African gold operation perished in a methane explosion – an incident that occurred nearly a month ago, brought to light only when family members reported them missing. According to an Associated Press report, all of the workers – believed to be from the county of Lesotho…

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