NORANDA BEGINS SALVAGE OPERATIONS AT MURDOCHVILLE
<Noranda Inc> said it began salvage
operations at its Murdochville, Quebec, mine, where a fire last
week killed one miner and caused 10 mln dlrs in damage.
     Another 56 miners were trapped underground for as long as
24 hours before they were brought to safety.
    Noranda said the cause and full extent of the damage is
still unknown but said it does know that the fire destroyed
6,000 feet of conveyor belt.
     Noranda said work crews have begun securing the ramp
leading into the zone where the fire was located. The company
said extreme heat from the fire caused severe rock degradation
along several ramps and drifts in the mine.
     Noranda estimated that the securing operation for the zone
will not be completed before the end of April.
    Noranda said the Quebec Health and Safety Commission, the
Quebec Provincial Police and Noranda itself are each conducting
an investigation into the fire.
    Production at the mine has been suspended until the
investigations are complete. The copper mine and smelter
produced 72,000 tons of copper anodes in 1986 and employs 680
people.
     The smelter continues to operate with available
concentrate from stockpiled supplies, Noranda said. Reuter
 Reuter
