Mollie Kathleen Mine receives order for closure

(TELLER COUNTY, Colo.) — The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (DRMS) sent the owners of the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine a cease and desist letter following the fatal incident at the mine earlier in October.

On Wednesday, Oct. 16, DRMS — which regulates tourist mines with the Mine and Safety Training Program — sent the cease and desist letter ordering the closure of all tours at the mine, prohibiting the mine from reopening until the ongoing review of the operation has been completed. The letter restricted all public access, except for local law enforcement or other agencies who are involved in investigating the accident that occurred on Thursday, Oct. 10.

The order will remain in effect until further notice according to the letter. The order was sent after concluding an inspection following the incident.

The mine has been closed since Oct. 10 when an incident with the elevator left one dead, four injured, and a dozen individuals trapped 1,000 feet below ground inside the mine. Mollie Kathleen’s last day of the season was set four days later on Oct. 13.

Before the incident, inspection reports from the Mine and Safety Training Program for the Mollie Kathleen Mine were ‘satisfactory’, and inspectors observed no violations or hazards. The mine was last inspected on Aug. 29, 2024.

In addition to yearly inspections, mine operators must also conduct daily inspections that need to be kept on record and available for any inspectors to examine the mine for current and preceding years.

DRMS said Mollie Kathleen Mine is the only tourist mine in Colorado with an elevator. The division also noted tourist mines in the Centennial State are safe.

“Overall Colorado tourist mines have an excellent safety record.” DRMS wrote. “Each year thousands of tourists safely visit these mines where they learn about the importance of our state’s precious natural resources and the history of mining in Colorado.”

Teller County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Occupational and Safety Health Administration are investigating the incident.

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