Mining is a dangerous profession, period. Accident rates have dropped over the years but there have always been fatalities and always will be, that’s how it is.
Primero Mining (PPP) (P.to) today does what mining companies should do under the circumstances: An employee is killed while working, the company discloses the information immediately, doesn’t flinch, tells the market and the wider population the bad news. I’m not saying PPP is innocent or guilty of other things, I’m just saying they’re doing the right thing in disclosure and showing basic respect.
Although I have no position in Primero, I know that I’d much prefer to hold its stock than that of Pan American Silver (PAA.to) (under Ross Beaty) for example, which never bothers to tell people when employees die on the job (in Peru alone, one this year and one last year) or Buenaventura (BVN) (under Roque Benavides) which has the same cowardly hide-it-away attitude (BVN has seen three employee deaths so far in 2014 and managed to kill another five in 2013) Date from here on those two.
And those market darlings at B2Gold (BTG) (BTO.to) still have a lot to learn about doing things the right way. Remember that, Clive.