BHP Billiton says rescuers have recovered a miner who was trapped by a rock fall for more than 15 hours at its Nickel West Perseverance mine in Western Australia.
The 38-year-old man reached the surface unharmed at about 6.30am (local time) on 11 June 2009.
The trapped man had taken refuge in a purpose-built safety refuge station, and emergency crews worked through the night to get to him.
A seismic event had sparked the rock fall at the mine on 10 June 2009. With the exception of the trapped worker, all 70-odd employees underground at the time managed to return to the surface.
According to BHP Billiton, the refuge chamber had electricity, water and air, and the trapped miner could stand and move around. The chamber also had a telephone, allowing the miner to communicate with his wife, mother and rescue workers.
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