BHP Billiton said it has suspended its Blackwater coal operations in Australia after a worker at the mine, a father of two and grandfather of two, was killed in a truck accident.
The accident at the mine, one of seven owned by the BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) in central Queensland, involved a raptor transporter vehicle, BHP said.
Blackwater is the second-largest among BHP's metallurgical coal mines. It produced 3.5 million t in the six months to December, making up one-fifth of BMA's output.
The accident at Blackwater is the second at a Queensland coal mine in the past month. One worker was killed and another was injured at Anglo American's Dawson coal mine in February when a truck tire exploded during a tire change.
BHP Billiton remains on track to meet its two year production target for both metallurgical and thermal coal with production of the steel-making ingredient up 25% in Q3.
BHP Billiton has announced a substantial drop in profits in the six months to December 2012 as weak commodity prices continue to plague the mining industry.
The world’s largest mining company has announced Q4 2012 production figures broadly in line with analyst’s expectations for petroleum and metallurgical coal, although thermal coal production was lower.