A group illegally entered the mine in Buryatia three days ago in search of wolframite, one of the main ores of tungsten, which is used in weapons production.
After the group suffered from gas poisoning, one managed to get out of the mine, and the others were left trapped. Several local residents then went down into the mine in a rescue attempt. Four out of seven bodies have been brought to the surface. Three bodies remain underground.
Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn, president of the Buryatia Republic, arrived at the site on Monday morning to discuss the ongoing search and rescue operation with rescuers and local authorities.
Nagovitsyn said the mine should be put back into legal operation, and a new owner should be found. The mine's operator, the state-owned Dzhidinsky wolframite-molybdenum combine, was declared bankrupt in 2001.
The mine, whose reserves are estimated at 40,000 metric tons of wolframite, was closed in December 1997. However, despite warning signs outside the mine, local residents had continued to descend into the pit in search of the valuable ore.
Nagovitsyn instructed the local administration to hold a tender or an auction on leasing the mine.
"The president proposed finding a new owner for the mine so that people can earn money legally," a local government spokesman said. "The mine can still bring profit to some company."
