"Worker's death at Tanami gold mine in Central Australia under investigation", 5 February 2026

A 47-year-old worker has died following an incident at the Tanami gold mine in remote Central Australia...

Mining company Newmont, which owns and operates the mine, confirmed the man's death in a statement ..., 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," the spokesperson said.

"Newmont will provide our full support to assist with the investigation into this tragic incident."

All activities at the Tanami mine site — located 540 kilometres 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 4pm on Wednesday, with officers from Yuendumu, about 270 kilometres 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," they said.

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

"Initial enquires indicate a potential failure of a winch occurred during a lift as a contributing factor to the incident," they said.

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".

… She labelled the death as "unacceptable", saying "every worker should be able to go to work confident they will come home safe".

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…