The Donkin colliery is shut down again due to the roof falling in the main access tunnel

The underground coal mine in Donkin, NS, has been closed again after part of its roof collapsed over the weekend.

In a brief email statement, the Nova Scotia Department of Labor, Skills and Immigration said the mine owner reported structural problems with roof supports in the main access tunnel on Sunday.

It said a small amount of roofing material fell down and there were no injuries.

Inspectors were at the mine Monday and the department has approved a repair plan, which is underway, the department said.

The province said the mine will remain closed until repairs are completed.

No other details were provided and no one from the mine was immediately available for comment.

Series of roof falls reported

The mine owner, Kameron Coal, stopped working in March 2020 after two roofs fell in the previous month and a number of other roofs in previous years.

At the time, the company said it was closing the mine due to what it called “challenging” geological conditions, but kept the mine ready to return to operation in the future.

It reopened the mine last year after the price of coal soared due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Since then, the mine has been hit with warnings, orders and fines from the county for various violations of mining regulations and was shut down for a few weeks in May after an underground fire caused by a transportation system.

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