By Georgina Maka’a.
Gold Ridge Mining Limited (GRML) says its emergency response teams are working closely with police to manage the incident that occurred at the mine site early this morning.
Several people, who are not employees of Gold Ridge, were reportedly buried following a ground collapse inside Pit 1 between 1am and 2am.
Eyewitness accounts from the scene indicate that some of those affected were digging for gold, while others were reportedly sleeping when the collapse occurred.
Responding to an earlier In-depth Solomons report, Gold Ridge confirmed the incident but said no deaths had been officially confirmed at this stage.
“Investigations are ongoing, and we are committed to providing transparent updates as verified information becomes available,” the company said in a statement.
“The safety of our workforce and surrounding communities remains our highest priority,” it added.
Those believed to have been trapped inside the pit are understood to be people who had entered the area to search for gold.
Gold Ridge has previously referred to these individuals as “illegal miners”.
This is not the first fatal incident involving people searching for gold at the mine site.
In August last year, two men were killed at Pit 3 after a large rock was reportedly dislodged during mining operations and rolled onto them.
The victims were also reported not to be employees of Gold Ridge Mining Limited. Police launched an investigation into the incident.
In November 2023, the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force investigated the death of a 40-year-old man following an accident at Pit 1.
Police are yet to publicly disclose details of how the accident occurred.
In January this year, more than 30 pieces of heavy machinery were burned during a landowner dispute, triggering a major police response at the mine site.
Gold Ridge Mine is operated by Gold Ridge Mining Limited, which holds the mining and exploration licences for the project on Guadalcanal.
The company is 70 per cent owned by Hong Kong-based Wanguo International Mining Group, 20 per cent by Australia’s AXF Resources, and 10 per cent by Gold Ridge Community Investment Limited (GCIL), which represents local landowners.
