The Perkoa zinc mine in Burkina Faso is set to be closed. Canadian mining firm Trevali made the announcement and said the move follows a flood at the mine in April that killed eight workers.
The mine, which is one of Trevali’s three main operating assets experienced an unexpected torrential rain during the West African country’s dry season. The miners drowned in the underground passages of the mine in Sanguie province.
Insufficient funds
“The funds still available…are insufficient to complete the rehabilitation of the mine. Funds are barely sufficient to cover severance pay for terminated employees,” said Ditil Moussa Palenfo, country director of Nantou Mining, the Trevali entity that owns Perkoa.
A court in Burkina Faso last week handed out suspended sentences to two executives after finding them guilty of involuntary manslaughter for the flood disaster. That came just weeks after the company announced it was halting trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
