Associated Press
A veteran bulldozer operator died at a gold mine in central Nevada when the machine tumbled down a steep slope of the open pit, according to a preliminary report by federal safety officials.
Robert Larson, 58, worked in mining for 41 years, including 21 years at the Round Mountain Mine where he died a little after 5 a.m. Nov. 8, the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration said.
The mine is operated by Toronto-based Kinross Gold Corp.
Neil Jensen, Kinross vice president and general manager, told the Elko Daily Free Press that a rescue team responded to the accident and the company is cooperating with investigators from the federal agency and Nye County Sheriff’s Department.
Mine Safety and Health plans a final report in coming months.
Round Mountain employs 864 people, including 183 who were at work at the time, the preliminary report said.
It said the bulldozer was pushing blasted rock to a front-end loader when it veered over the edge and rolled about 308 feet (94 meters) downhill.
Larson’s death was the first Nevada mine fatality since workers died in 2018 at the Pete Bajo underground mine north of Carlin and the Lee Smith underground mine north of Elko.
