A man has been found dead at an open-cut mine near Coober Pedy in South Australia, prompting a police investigation into the circumstances of his death.
Emergency services were called to the site, just south of the outback town, at about 9.30am on Thursday after the body was discovered.
The man’s identity has not been released and his cause of death remains unknown. Investigators are working to establish how he died.
Major Crime detectives and forensic officers have travelled to Coober Pedy to assist local police with the inquiry.
A post-mortem examination is expected to be carried out as detectives continue their investigation.
Coober Pedy lies on the Stuart Highway, about 850km north of Adelaide, and is internationally known for its opal fields, underground homes and extensive network of open and underground mine workings.
The surrounding area contains numerous abandoned prospecting holes and disused shafts, some of which are difficult to spot across the desert landscape.
