Skip slips at Inco mine

An ore-hoisting device known as a skip has plummeted to the bottom of the main T-1 mine shaft in Thompson, Man.

No one was injured, according to a report by Inco (TSE), as the incident occurred July 12 — the second day of the planned month-long summer shutdown at the Manitoba division.

The skip was one of two 22-ton-capacity units being installed during the shutdown. To determine the extent of the damage, an investigation is being conducted by Inco, the United Steelworkers of America and the provincial government.

It is not yet known whether the accident will affect nickel production. The T-1 mine accounts for 70% of production from the Manitoba division.