MMG Limited

Two contractor workers killed at MMG's Dugald River mine after vehicle falls into stope

On 15 February 2023, two Barminco contractor workers — Dylan Langridge (33) and Trevor Davis (36) — were killed at MMG's Dugald River zinc mine in Queensland, Australia, after the ground collapsed beneath their light vehicle, sending it plummeting 125 metres into a stope void. A nearby drill rig operator narrowly escaped the same fate. Preliminary investigations pointed to insufficient void management following bogging operations on the level below. Underground mining was suspended for 34 days. The incident pushed MMG's Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIF) up to 1.97 in 2023, from 1.25 in 2022. The fatalities were formally acknowledged in MMG's 2023 Annual Report. Parent contractor Perenti launched a safety transformation taskforce and brought in two external safety experts.

Kinsevere acid usage and water contamination concerns

MMG's Kinsevere copper mine in Haut-Katanga, DRC, uses sulphuric acid extensively in its heap leach and solvent extraction process to produce copper cathode. A parliamentary team inspected the mine in 2023–2024 to review compliance with the DRC Mining Code, particularly around community development and environmental standards. Broader regional studies have documented elevated heavy metals — including lead, cobalt, zinc, and cadmium — in surface and groundwater near mining operations in the area. A March 2024 RAID report ("Beneath the Green") specifically examined pollution concerns from DRC mining operations including in Haut-Katanga. Water quality monitoring at Kinsevere is managed by specialist firm Knight Piésold in line with DRC Mining Code requirements, though independent scrutiny remains limited.