Stay safe in opal mines: dangers of fossicking

The following is an abridgement of a safety alert originally published on the SafeWork SA website.

Fossicking injury

A hobbyist was looking for opal in a mining claim area near Coober Pedy, using a special torch that makes the gemstone glow. He did not notice a disused mine shaft and fell into it, plunging 25 metres down. He suffered a broken leg and a dislocated shoulder and was trapped for about 22 hours before being rescued and flown to Adelaide.

A warning from authorities

This incident has prompted SafeWork SA and the Department for Energy and Mining to warn workers, contractors and other people of the dangers of unmarked, unprotected or concealed mine shaft openings. These can be found in any mining claim area, but are especially common in opal mining fields.

How to stay safe in mining claim areas

If you are planning to enter a mining claim area, you should follow these safety tips:

• Notify someone of where and when you are going and how you will contact emergency services if needed.
• Avoid stepping near or on the edge of a mine shaft, as it can collapse or be covered by unstable materials.
• Do not walk backwards.
• Don't walk on a covered mine shaft: mine shafts can be covered with sheets of corroded corrugated iron or thin metal mesh. Stepping onto these can result in falling down a shaft.
• Be extra careful at night, as it is harder to see the mine shafts and holes.
• Never climb on mullock heaps: you risk sliding to the bottom of a heap and into a mine shaft. Instead take a bucket of material from the heap and search on stable, safe ground.
• Watch out for Caldwell shafts and exploration drill holes, which are large and small openings created by drilling machines. They should be marked and secured by the owners but may not be.

Caldwell Shafts

Build a raised mound of material around a Caldwell Shaft opening with star droppers to flag off the danger zone when it is not in use, closed or abandoned, as it must still be identifiable. This is the only effective control measure to prevent a fall into the mine shaft. Thin non-supportive mesh is not effective in avoiding a fall and shaft openings should also be shored to prevent edge erosion.  

Further links

For more information on opal mining safety, visit the Opal field shafts page.

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Sources

Mind your step in opal fields by SafeWork SA, 7th February, 2024.

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