Raymond Rosenberg, 35, is pictured with his partner Keisha Gronning and their four children in this submitted photo.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Keisha Gronning
February 02, 2021 - 6:06 PM
The worker who is presumed to have been killed in a New Afton Mine underground mudslide early this morning was a father of four and had been a driller for over 12 years.
The New Afton Mine experienced what is called a mud rush at approximately 1:40 a.m. today, Feb. 2, according to the owner of the mine Toronto-based New Gold Inc.
Raymond Rosenberg, 35, is presumed to have died while two New Gold employees received non-life-threatening injuries and received medical care.
READ MORE: Worker killed in mud slide at New Afton Mine near Kamloops
Raymond was the "most caring partner, friend, brother and dad," his common-law partner Keisha Gronning said.
He was an outdoorsman and enjoyed fishing, hunting and snowmobiling.
"He loved his work and the people he worked with and he was the best dad," she said.
"Everyday was a new adventure and he was the most available family man. He was always there. And he made sure everyone around knew how much he loved his kids."
New Afton Mine has a track record of maintaining high safety standards according to the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. It received the "large underground mines" safety award having a high amount of work hours spent underground and a low amount of injuries over the year.
"The New Afton Mine and those who work there are familiar to me, being one of the first sites I visited at the start of my tenure as minister," Energy Minister Bruce Ralston said in a statement. "Work at the mine site has been suspended and the chief inspector of mines has initiated an investigation and is in contact with RCMP and the coroners office."
The company website says New Afton is an open pit and underground mine that employs about 500 people and has been producing an average of 85,000 ounces of gold and 75-million pounds of copper annually since it opened in 2012.
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