Miner who died at Nova copper mine to go nameless on Kalgoorlie’s memorial wall

The withholding of the name of a man who died at a Goldfields mine last year has led to a unique problem for the Miners Memorial committee ahead of the annual unveiling service on Saturday.

For the first time since the wall was established, there has been a death recorded, but to date no name has been released by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety.

The department has not released the name at the request of the family.

The truck driver died as a result of his injuries after an accident at the Nova nickel-copper mine, east of Norseman on September 11.

Memorial committee chairman John Bowler said there were more than 1400 names on the Hannan Street wall and previously they had never been stopped from unveiling an engraved name.

“We understand the family is still coming to terms with the passing of their loved one but that in time hopefully we will receive the name from the department and it will be engraved for relatives and workmates to attend the memorial and reflect on his life,” he said.

“Until the department releases the name, we will respect the family’s wishes.”

The memorial covers mines from Wiluna to Ravensthorpe, and from Southern Cross to the WA border.

Mr Bowler said the annual service on the Saturday morning of the Labour Day long weekend attracted a crowd each year as relatives and workmates honoured those killed in mining accidents.

At the end of the service, members of the public are invited to place a sprig of rosemary against the name of their loved one. The service will start in the Museum of the Goldfields’ forecourt at 9.30am.