QUEBEC GOVERNMENT TO OFFER HELP TO NORANDA MINE
Quebec mines minister Raymond Savoie said
the province is prepared to offer money to help re-open
(Noranda Inc)'s Murdochville, Quebec copper mine, shut down by
fire last week, but said he could not give a specific figure
until damage estimates have been completed.
    Federal member of parliament for the region, Charles-Eugene
Marin, said last week the federal government is also prepared
to provide financial help to restart operations as soon as
possible. Noranda has estimated damage from the fire at about
10 mln dlrs and a company spokesman said it should have a more
specific estimate by the end of the month.
    Noranda said it had hoped to have an estimate sooner, but
has found that it will take longer than expected to gain access
to the burned-out area.
    Noranda said the mine was not insured.
    "We decided many years ago...that the costs of insuring all
of Noranda's underground operations would have been
prohibitive," Larry Taylor, Noranda's risk management and
insurance director, said.
    Taylor said before last week's fire, the company had only
had one previous mine accident many years ago.
    Last week's fire killed one miner and trapped 52 other
underground, some for up to 24 hours. It was believed to have
started on a new conveyor system.
    Noranda has said it would take four to five months to
return the mine to normal operating capacity. It produced
72,0000 tons of copper anode last year, Coffin said.
 Reuter
