Lac Des Iles Mines Ltd. pleaded guilty and was fined $110,000 for a violation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
The fine stems from a Nov. 27 2007 incident at the company's open pit in Thunder Bay. A drill pattern on the ground was partially loaded with explosives. Holes that were packed with explosives were supposed to be identified by markers.
Some holes were not yet loaded and required re-drilling because of blockages. Workers re-drilled one of the holes they believed was blocked. They did not see a marker indicating the hole contained explosives. When the drill was pulled away, the workers saw there were explosives in the hole.
The Toronto-based mining company pleaded guilty for failing to ensure that no iron or steel was used in a hole that contained explosives.
Justice of the Peace Gene Bannon imposed the fine in an Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay, Jan. 15.
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