NORANDA BEGINS SALVAGE OPERATIONS AT MURDOCHVILLE
  <Noranda Inc> said it began salvage
  operations at its Murdochville, Quebec, mine, where a fire last
  week killed one miner and caused 10 mln dlrs in damage.
       Another 56 miners were trapped underground for as long as
  24 hours before they were brought to safety.
      Noranda said the cause and full extent of the damage is
  still unknown but said it does know that the fire destroyed
  6,000 feet of conveyor belt.
       Noranda said work crews have begun securing the ramp
  leading into the zone where the fire was located. The company
  said extreme heat from the fire caused severe rock degradation
  along several ramps and drifts in the mine.
       Noranda estimated that the securing operation for the zone
  will not be completed before the end of April.
      Noranda said the Quebec Health and Safety Commission, the
  Quebec Provincial Police and Noranda itself are each conducting
  an investigation into the fire.
      Production at the mine has been suspended until the
  investigations are complete. The copper mine and smelter
  produced 72,000 tons of copper anodes in 1986 and employs 680
  people.
       The smelter continues to operate with available
  concentrate from stockpiled supplies, Noranda said. Reuter