Published: February 6, 2026 |

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A 47-year-old worker has died following an incident at the Tanami Gold Mine in remote Central Australia on Wednesday afternoon.

Mining company Newmont, which owns and operates the mine, confirmed the man’s death in a statement early on Thursday, saying “our thoughts are with the individual’s family, friends and colleagues during this very difficult time”.

“Emergency response procedures were immediately activated, and relevant authorities have been notified and are attending the site. Newmont will provide our full support to assist with the investigation into this tragic incident,” a Newmont spokesperson said.

All activities at the Tanami mine site — located 540 kilometers north-west of Alice Springs — have been suspended.

An NT Police Force spokesperson said in a statement the death had been reported to police around 4 pm on Wednesday, with officers from Yuendumu, about 270 kilometers away, attending and establishing a crime scene.

“Investigations are ongoing with members from the Coronial Investigation Unit and Crime Scene Examination Unit attending the site today,” a NT Police Force spokesperson said in a statement.

NT WorkSafe confirmed it had commenced an inquiry into the incident, which a spokesperson said had occurred at a construction site.

“Initial inquires indicate a potential failure of a winch occurred during a lift as a contributing factor to the incident,” the statement added.

The Australian Workers’ Union said it was “shocked” to learn of the worker’s death and called on Newmont and NT WorkSafe to conduct “an open and transparent investigation”.

“This is a tragic reminder that mine sites are dangerous places,” Queensland secretary Stacey Schinnerl wrote.

The industry’s peak body, Mineral Council of Australia (MCA), paid tribute to the man and said the country’s mineral manufacturers were in mourning.

“Safety remains the highest priority for our industry, and any loss of life is a stark reminder of the critical importance of our ongoing efforts to ensure every worker returns home safely,” chief executive Tania Constable said in a statement.

According to the Newmont website, the Tanami mine is one of Australia’s largest underground gold mines, extending more than 1.7 kilometers underground.

The site is located in the remote Tanami Desert and all of its 1,800 workers are fly-in fly-out (FIFO).

The mine produces about 400,000 ounces, or more than 11 tonnes, of gold each year.

In the more than two decades since Newmont acquired the site, the company has expanded the mine’s scale, depth and infrastructure so it is now classified as a tier 1 underground gold asset.

In October, an industry magazine reported the company had completed expansions at the site that gave the mine the deepest hoisting shaft in the country.

Source: ABC

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