NYE – Two employees have died in an underground accident at the Stillwater palladium and platinum mine in southcentral Montana, Sibanye-Stillwater officials said Thursday.
The men were in a side-by-side that crashed into an underground locomotive at 2 p.m. Wednesday, said Heather McDowell, a vice president with Sibanye-Stillwater.
The cause of the accident is under investigation and mine officials say they’re working with safety regulators.
The names and ages of the victims have not been released.
“At Sibanye-Stillwater, we value safety above all else. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone impacted by this tragic event,” Stillwater officials said in a statement.
Stillwater Mining Co. is the only palladium and platinum mining company in the U.S.
It operates two mines including the Stillwater Mine near Nye which is north of Cooke City, a north gate into Yellowstone National Park.
It has a workforce of 2,335 employees and contractors, according to its website, and operates a second mine, East Boulder, located south of Big Timber, and a refining complex in Columbus.