Rio Tinto begins restarting Oyu Tolgoi underground operations after seismic event

Rio Tinto Resumes Oyu Tolgoi Underground Mining in Mongolia After Seismic Event

Rio Tinto's Response and Impact of Seismic Event

Restart of Underground Operations

Oct 30 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto on Friday said it had begun "progressively" restarting underground operations at its Oyu Tolgoi copper mine in Mongolia after completing safety reviews following a seismic event that temporarily halted mining activities.

Details of the Seismic Event

Rockfall and Safety Assessment

The miner said a seismic event on October 29 triggered a localised rockfall in a temporary storage area adjacent to the production zone, causing ground vibrations but resulting in no structural damage to the underground cave or operating infrastructure.

Significance of Oyu Tolgoi Mine

Oyu Tolgoi is one of the world's largest known copper and gold deposits and is central to Rio Tinto's copper growth strategy. The miner owns 66% of the project, with the Mongolian government holding the rest.

Impact on Employees and Operations

Employee Safety and Injuries

The miner said three employees sustained injuries, and no fatalities were reported, with two of them continuing to receive treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.

Logistics and Border Delays

Ganqimaodu Border Crossing Issues

Rio Tinto also flagged delays affecting all vehicles passing through the Ganqimaodu border crossing between China and Mongolia, which have reduced the availability of trucks to transport copper concentrate from Oyu Tolgoi.

Reporting Credits

(Reporting by Sameer Manekar & Rajasik Mukherjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Shreya Biswas and Maju Samuel)