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The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety, the Division of Oil and Public Safety, and the Mine Training and Safety Program concluded their safety inspection of the Mollie Kathleen Mine in December 2024. This was following the cease-and-desist order placed on the tourist mine’s operation in October 2024 following the tragic death of mine tour guide, Patrick Weier.
The inspection looked at the mine’s ground control, inspection and training records, ventilation, fire prevention and control, communication systems, personnel hoisting mechanisms and procedures, and other safety and health requirements. The inspection, while covering the mechanisms involved in October’s incident, was comprehensive to the entirety of the operation.
State mining Inspectors determined that the Mollie Kathleen tourist mine met the provisions of the Regulations for the Mine Safety and Training Program for Tourist Mines and no imminent or substantial danger to the public or employees exists.
Additionally, the investigation by the Teller County Sheriff’s Office determined to have been operator error not attributed to current mine practices or equipment malfunctions. The case has been closed as an accidental death.
The cease-and-desist order of October 2024 has been lifted, and the Mollie Kathleen Mine will now be able to resume operations for the tourist season of 2025.