Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Nanisivik (Jan 07/02) - A Nanisivik Mine employee was killed on shift in the early morning hours of New Year's Eve.

Police and mine officials were delaying release of the name of the 46-year old until an autopsy can positively confirm his identity.

Cpl. Clare Kines of the Arctic Bay RCMP detachment said the autopsy would likely be held over the course of the weekend, although blizzard conditions were making travel in and out of the community difficult.

Kines did confirm however, that the mine employee's next of kin had been notified.

A press release issued by the police said the man had worked at the High Arctic zinc mine since 1990.

Mine general manager Bill Heath said due to ongoing police and mine safety investigations, he was unable to comment on the matter or provide more than basic details.

"The employee was working on a piece of equipment called the crusher. The employee was killed by the crusher," said Heath.

That piece of equipment breaks mined ore into smaller pieces for processing.

The fatal accident reportedly occurred just before 2 a.m.

Heath said the miner was working alongside another employee and that the second man was obviously shaken by the death of his co-worker.

"When something that horrendous happens, it's unnerving at best," said Heath.

The death was the second to take place at the mine in just five months. Jacques Rob-itaille of Quebec was killed by falling rock July 31.

Heath said the closeness of the two fatalities had left people at the mine upset.

"To have two in such a short time is overwhelming," said Heath. "We'd gone a long time without even a lost time accident let alone a fatality." Prior to the recent deaths, it had been 10 years since a fatal accident took place at the mine.