Genesis Minerals – Leonora Operations has emerged victorious from a weekend of high-pressure rescue challenges at Gordon Sirdar Underground Gold Mine, taking out top spot at the Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA (CME) 2026 Underground Mine Emergency Response Competition (UMERC).
Evolution – Mungari Operations finished second and Anglo Gold Ashanti – Tropicana claimed third in a field of 13 teams, one of the competition’s largest in a decade.
Held from October 30 to November 1, UMERC challenged teams across a range of disciplines including firefighting, search and rescue, breathing apparatus operation, vertical rescue, first aid, incident management and theory.
This year’s competition also put emerging rescue technology to the test, featuring real-time tracking of responders, underground robotics to assess hazardous environments and a submerged crisis scenario reminiscent of the 2018 Thai cave rescue.
CME Chief Executive Officer Aaron Morey congratulated Genesis Minerals – Leonora Operations and said UMERC was a powerful demonstration of the priority placed on keeping workers in the WA resources sector safe.
“An underground emergency demands clear thinking, technical skill and complete trust in the people beside you,” Mr Morey said.
“Success at UMERC requires is built on countless hours of training and preparation. Gensis Minerals – Leonora Operations should be immensely proud of this result, as should every team that stepped up to the challenge.
“The value of this competition extends well beyond the final standings. Every team takes home lessons and experience that can improve the way it responds to an emergency.
“That benefits both our industry and the regional communities we operate in, where mines rescue personnel also help respond to road crashes and other serious incidents.”
CME Mines Rescue Committee Chair Daniel Goss said UMERC gave emergency response teams an opportunity to test how new equipment and techniques could support their work.
“Technology is changing what responders can see, the information they can access and how they assess a dangerous environment,” Mr Goss said.
“But equipment is only as effective as the people using it. Competitions like UMERC give our teams the chance to put their training into practice, make decisions under pressure and learn from each other.”
Mr Goss thanked the host operation, assessors, volunteers and supporting organisations for their contributions.
“Behind every scenario is a significant amount of planning and work by people committed to making mines rescue better,” he said.
“Their contribution gives teams a demanding, practical learning experience that could one day help them save a life.”
Vision from UMERC2026 is available here. Photographs can also be provided on request.
Participating teams:
- 29Metals – Golden Grove
- AngloGold Ashanti – Sunrise Dam
- AngloGold Ashanti – Tropicana
- Evolution Mining – Mungari
- FMR Investments – Gordon Sirdar
- Gensis Minerals – Leonora Operations
- Gold Fields – Combined
- Liontown – Kathleen Valley
- Northern Star – Kalgoorlie Operations
- Northern Star – KCGM
- Regis Resources
- WASM MRT
- Westgold – Combined
- Norton Gold Fields (Non-competing)
Media contacts:
Josh Zimmerman j.zimmerman@cmewa.com / 0404 947 719
Natasha Mutch n.mutch@cmewa.com / 0435 383 382