The 2010 Copiapó mining accident brought the role and importance of mine rescue to a wide public awareness. Mine accidents are a permanent risk, the skills and the performance of mine rescue teams are in some cases the deciding factor on life and death. While mine rescue is ambitious, the challenges are very much comparable throughout the world. An exchange platform thus plays an important role for the experts from across the world, allowing for the further development of rescue methods, and to deepen networking contacts also in the moments after an accident – the importance and potentials of collaboration have been shown once more during the Chile incident.

The International Mine Rescue Conference (IMRC) serves as an important platform to exchange models of good practice and to learn from each other. The 5th IMRC ran October 24 and 25 2011 in Beijing, China, uniting over 100 delegates of all continents with its motto “Cherish Life, Work Hand in Hand to Build up a Better Future”. In more than 50 presentations experts gave insight into latest developments and lessons learned in mine rescue. Next to traditional aspects of mine rescue such as rescue drilling or response technology, very interesting information on related experiences have been given, such as on safety monitoring in a chemical park and software for incident management.

Presentations will be published at http://www.minerescue.org/conferences/2011_beijing.htm.

The next IMRC with its motto „Sharing Vision, Sharing Knowledge“ will be hosted in Canada,  Niagara Falls, in October 2013. Information will be available at www.imrb2013.ca.

 

Joint competence in expert workshop

In connection with the IMRC, experts met at the International Symposium on Emergency Escape Systems in Underground Mining October 27 and 28.
Chaired by ISSA Mining General Secretary Helmut Ehnes experts from Canada, South Africa, Australia, the Czech Republic, the USA and Germany discussed chances and developed future strategies. The collaboration did not just span across borders, but also united expertise of different mining commodities such as coal, salt and gold in three working groups.