Quinsam was the overall underground winner at the event held earlier this month in Squamish, and the six-man crew also took home honours for best first aid by an underground team and best bench by an underground team. The team’s organiser was recognised with a trophy as the best underground coordinator.

"It is truly gratifying to see the Quinsam mine again recognised as a leader in underground mine rescue," Hillsborough president David Slater said.

“The Quinsam team's success in the Provincial competition, together with the 2008 Mine Safety Award for Small Underground Mines which was previously announced, continues to demonstrate the strong commitment to safety which is shared by each and every employee at Quinsam and Hillsborough.”

Quinsam took the small underground mine award in late May, its 10th consecutive year for the honour, which is given out annually by the British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.

Quinsam is wholly owned by Hillsborough and has an annual production rate of 520,000 clean tonnes.

The Campbell River complex started as a surface operation in 1987, and underground room and pillar production commenced in 1990. The entire complex is now underground.