Worker who died at Cote Gold Mine in Gogama was found unconscious

A worker who was found unconscious Friday at the Cote Gold Mine in Gogama has died, officials said Friday.

Graeme Jennings, Cote’s vice-president of investor relations, said a worker for one of their contractors was found unconscious. The victim was not on shift at the time.

The person who found him “was not able to revive him,” Jennings said.

“It is a tragic event,” he said. “We express our deepest condolences” the victim’s loved ones.

• Download the CTV News app now and get local alerts on your device
• Get local breaking news and updates sent to your email inbox

Exactly what happened is being investigated by the province and police, Jennings added.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development confirmed they are investigating.

“On Sept. 29 (we were) notified of a fatality at the Cote Gold Mine in Gogama,” ministry spokesperson Jennifer Rushby said in an email.

“Our sincere condolences go out to the worker’s family, friends and colleagues. A ministry inspector has been assigned. As the investigation is ongoing, we are not able to provide further information at this time.”

Construction of Cote Gold began in 2020. The lifespan of the mine is expected to be 16-18 years and produce 495,000 ounces of gold a year in its first six years.

Average production over the full 18 years is estimated at 365,000 ounces a year, starting in the fourth quarter of 2023. The property is located off Highway 144 between Timmins and Sudbury

CTV News will update this story as more information is available.