WMC Ltd closed its Rocky’s Reward nickel mine near Leinster for a safety inspection this week 10 years ago following the death of a miner in a rockfall. The miner was struck by rocks while working at a depth of 210 metres, prompting an immediate evacuation of the mine. The mine produced about 850,000 tonnes of ore a year, representing about 45 per cent of the 30,000t of nickel metal produced at the Leinster complex.