Earthquake Near Newmont's Cadia Valley Mine Traps Workers, Halts Operations
A magnitude 4.5 earthquake struck near Newmont's Cadia Valley gold and copper mine in Central New South Wales, Australia, trapping 153 miners underground for over 10 hours. The earthquake, which is the largest recorded in the region, caused the miners to seek refuge in emergency chambers. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the site was evacuated for safety inspections. The earthquake's epicenter was close to the mine, and subsequent tremors were recorded shortly after the initial quake. Newmont, a multinational mining company, has halted underground operations pending further inspection and plans to conduct rehabilitation work to restore the mine to 80% capacity by the third quarter of 2026. The incident has raised concerns about the potential link between mining activities and seismic events, although conclusive evidence is difficult to obtain without close monitoring. 
