A Canadian-owned mining company and two executives at its zinc mine in Burkina Faso have been convicted of involuntary homicide in connection with a flooding disaster that killed eight mine workers.
Daryl Christensen, of the Trevali contractor Byrnecut, was given a 12-month suspended sentence and a fine of about $2,000. He is reportedly Australian. During its search for the trapped workers, the company said the heavy rain in April had been completely unexpected because it was the dry season in the region.
Trevali filed for creditor protection in Canada in August after missing a US$7.5-million debt payment and failing to line up a critical financing package.