As the warmer weather attracts more prospectors to gold-rich regions, the Western Australian Government is warning would-be miners to put safety first.
The WA Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Relations and Safety has said there are several vital safety considerations prospectors must heed.
“Whether you have many years of experience or are relatively new to prospecting, it is vital to be prepared for the unexpected when travelling around remote areas of WA,” DEMIRS said.
“Many prospectors may return to familiar ground each year, but the safety of yourself and others in your group must be your top priority.
“While you might be familiar with the area you plan to be prospecting in, you cannot anticipate a broken ankle, a snakebite, heat stroke, vehicle failure, serious bogging or other unexpected events, which may occur some distance from your camp or fellow prospectors.”
DEMIRS said an essential part of a prospector’s equipment must be a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB).
“Note that a GPS is not a PLB and does not transmit location information to emergency services,” WA’s peak mining body said.
“[PLBs] are inexpensive, available at most outdoor stores, simple to use, and only when activated will send an alert to authorities who can pinpoint your position and make their way to assist you.”
Having a PLB on your belt or in your pack when you head out prospecting each day (and not left back at camp) may well determine the outcome of any unexpected incident, which can happen to anyone.
For some prospectors in WA, it has been a matter of life and death.
Home contacts may now know your exact location, which in emergency situations is why having a PLB on hand is the best course of action.
“Remember there is very limited mobile phone range in remote locations and UHF radios are only short range,” DEMIRS said.
“Satphones can be rented for the duration of your trip, and increasingly, other satellite-based systems are available which can send pre-prepared messages and can also be tracked.”
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