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| Worker dies underground at mine | Worker dies underground at mine |
| (1 day later) | |
| A 24-year-old man has been killed in an accident underground at the UK's deepest working mine. | A 24-year-old man has been killed in an accident underground at the UK's deepest working mine. |
| Face miner Darren Compton was killed by falling rocks at Boulby potash mine in Teesside on Thursday afternoon. | Face miner Darren Compton was killed by falling rocks at Boulby potash mine in Teesside on Thursday afternoon. |
| Cleveland Potash Limited said he had been operating equipment supporting a sidewall in a recently mined roadway at the time of the accident. | Cleveland Potash Limited said he had been operating equipment supporting a sidewall in a recently mined roadway at the time of the accident. |
| A Health and Safety Executive official is at the site and an investigation into the death has begun. | A Health and Safety Executive official is at the site and an investigation into the death has begun. |
| Mr Compton, of Brotton, Teesside, had worked at the mine for two-years. | Mr Compton, of Brotton, Teesside, had worked at the mine for two-years. |
| Cleveland Potash managing director Graham Clarke said underground working had been halted as a mark of respect. | Cleveland Potash managing director Graham Clarke said underground working had been halted as a mark of respect. |
| He said: "Everyone involved with the company is deeply saddened by this tragic incident. | He said: "Everyone involved with the company is deeply saddened by this tragic incident. |
| "We expect that the investigation may take several days to reach a full conclusion." | "We expect that the investigation may take several days to reach a full conclusion." |
| The mine, situated near the north-east coast, employs about 850 people. | The mine, situated near the north-east coast, employs about 850 people. |
| The mine opened in 1972 and employs more than 800 | |
| Its shaft is 1,100 metres deep (3,600ft) making it the UK's deepest working mine, and its tunnels reach far out under the sea. | Its shaft is 1,100 metres deep (3,600ft) making it the UK's deepest working mine, and its tunnels reach far out under the sea. |
| The site, which opened in 1972, produces more than one million tons of potash each year and the mineral is sold for use in the manufacture of fertilizers and glass. | The site, which opened in 1972, produces more than one million tons of potash each year and the mineral is sold for use in the manufacture of fertilizers and glass. |
| More than half a million tons of salt is also mined at the site annually and this is used in road maintenance, animal feed and sugar beet cultivation. | More than half a million tons of salt is also mined at the site annually and this is used in road maintenance, animal feed and sugar beet cultivation. |
| Since the early-1990s the mine has also been a centre for scientific research into dark matter, a mysterious unseen component which forms most of the universe. | Since the early-1990s the mine has also been a centre for scientific research into dark matter, a mysterious unseen component which forms most of the universe. |
| State-of-the-art detectors have been installed in a sub-surface observatory in the hope of finding out more about the matter, which is almost impossible to detect in a laboratory on the Earth's surface. | State-of-the-art detectors have been installed in a sub-surface observatory in the hope of finding out more about the matter, which is almost impossible to detect in a laboratory on the Earth's surface. |