4 workers killed in Cuba bridge collapse

4 workers killed in Cuba bridge collapse
The victims, employees of the Moa Joint Venture, were repairing a
municipal bridge near Sherritt's Moa nickel mine
Andrew Topf

Tragedy struck Canadian company Sherritt (TSX:S) on Tuesday, with news
that a bridge collapsed, killing four workers.

The employees were repairing a bridge that crosses a shallow river and
links the port of Moa with the mine site and high-pressure acid leach
facility. The bridge had suffered damage from Hurricane Matthew, a
powerful tropical cyclone that recently ravaged the Caribbean and
south-eastern United States. The workers, employed through the Moa Joint
Venture, had been fixing the bridge, used by the local community, since
the end of October.

"We are deeply shocked and saddened by this event. Our Moa JV had a
safety record of a decade without a reported fatality prior to this
event," David Pathe, Sherritt International president and CEO, said in a
statement about the accident. "We extend our sympathy and condolences to
the families, friends and colleagues of the four employees."

An investigation into the cause of the bridge collapse is underway.
Meanwhile, the processing plant is operating at reduced rates, according
to Sherritt.

Located in Moa, Cuba and Fort Saskatchewan, Canada, the Moa JV produces
nickel and cobalt. Ownership of the JV is split 50-50 between Sherritt
and General Nickel Company S.A. of Cuba.

Moa uses an open-pit mining process to mine lateritic ore, which is
processed using high-pressure acid leaching into mixed sulphides
containing nickel and cobalt. The mixed sulphides are then transported
to Fort Saskatchewan, where they are refined into finished nickel and
cobalt as well as a byproduct – ammonium sulphate fertilizer. Sherritt
also has a 40% stake in a large Madagascar nickel mine – the Ambatovy
Joint Venture – along with oil and gas and electricity interests.

The company has been operating in Cuba for over 20 years and is the
Latin American nation's largest foreign investor.

Source: 4 workers killed in Cuba bridge collapse | MINING.com -
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