Union says mining fatal 'should have been avoided'

* An underground collapse at the Ballarat Gold Mine at Mount Clear, northwest of Melbourne, left two men pinned beneath fallen rocks on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 13

* 29 miners involved in the incident took refuge in a safety pod and were later brought to the surface

* One of the pinned miners, a 21-year-old man from Ballarat, was stabilised and extracted from the mine before he was flown to the Alfred Hospital with lower-body injuries

* The 21-year-old remained in a critical condition at the hospital as of March 14

* A 37-year-old miner from Bruthen in East Gippsland died after the collapse and his body was recovered on the morning of March 14

* The Australian Workers Union claimed the pair was doing a manual type of mining called "air legging" and working on unsupported ground when the ground gave way

* The union said the type of air legging should not have been used and accused the mine's management of being at fault

* WorkSafe is investigating the incident while Victoria Police will prepare a report for the coroner

* The union wants WorkSafe to consider Victoria's workplace manslaughter laws as it conducts its investigation

* The 37-year-old man's death is the 10th confirmed workplace fatality in Victoria in 2024

WHERE DID THE INCIDENT HAPPEN?

* The rockfall happened about 3km underground from the Ballarat Gold Mine's entrance, Victoria Police say

* The goldmine is owned by Victory Minerals, which took control of the operation in December 2023

* The mine's former owner Shen Yao Holdings Limited in 2021 said it rectified WorkSafe notices, which claimed it failed to keep a detailed plan of the mine on-site and ensure the mine manager was appropriately experienced and qualified

HOW HAVE PEOPLE REACTED?

* "We bring significant experience and expertise to the mine. We are a safety first mine operator and respect the work that underground miners perform every day" - Victory Minerals

* "It's devastating because we've lost another worker and no worker should be injured or die at work. It's even more devastating because it should have been avoided" - Australian Workers Union Victoria secretary Ronnie Hayden

* "It's a really complex matter, so there is a real detail of expertise required to ensure that we can do that thorough investigation and really understand what's occurred" - WorkSafe executive health and safety director Narelle Beer

* "The goldmining industry is a big part of Ballarat's history and past ... and economy and many people will know of the miners" - Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan

* "Safety is the most important issue for our industry. This tragic event is a reminder of the need to always prioritise safety above all else" - Minerals Council of Australia chief executive Tania Constable

Australian Associated Press