A magnitude 3.0 earthquake caused a rock fall at BHP Billiton's Perseverance underground nickel mine in Western Australia's Goldfields on Sunday night. All staff members were safely evacuated despite a power outage, the company said.
Geoscience Australia reported the quake near Leinster at 11.20pm (WST) on Sunday.
In a statement on Monday, BHP Billiton confirmed that the tremor resulted in a rock fall at its Perseverance underground mine about 10km north of Leinster.
"No-one was injured and all employees were accounted for," the company said.
"Contact was maintained with all our affected employees and contractors at all times."
In April 2010 a miner died at the Perseverance nickel mine when the truck he was driving fell 18 metres down a shaft.
In July 2009, Western Australia’s Minister for Mines launched an investigation into whether the mine should be shut down after three workers became trapped underground in two separate rock falls.
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