Announcement

A precautionary control of the rope at the Asse II mine's main shaft – shaft 2 -, has shown today that the rope's interior is damaged. Until a new haul rope has been installed, man haulage at the main shaft has been stopped with immediate effect.

Internal and external experts examine the rope of the main shaft on a regular basis. An internal control highlighted weaknesses. For safety reasons, the BGE as operator of the mine has decided to conduct an unscheduled, magnetic-inductive scan of the rope. According to schedule, this scan would not have had to be carried out until the end of 2018.

During this inspection, the weaknesses have been confirmed, as a result of which the rope needs replacing. During this period, the mine can only be accessed via shaft 4. This means that during this time, only a limited number of personnel can work underground. All safety-relevant works, such as the collection and pumping-off of influent brines and the control of the mine workings, continue to be carried out. It is not possible to visit the mine during this period.

The competent supervisory authorities have been informed immediately about the situation.

The hauling engine of the Asse II mine