Three miners have been trapped 500 meters underground at Newmont Corp.'s Red Chris mine in northwest British Columbia since Tuesday after part of a non-producing area of the mine collapsed. 

"At the time of the initial incident, three business partner employees were working more than 500 meters beyond the affected zone and were asked to relocate to a designated refuge station before a subsequent fall of ground blocked the access way," Newmont wrote in a statement published on its website. 

Newmont stated that the refuge station is "equipped with adequate food, water, and ventilation" to support the three miners during an "extended stay." 

A second collapse blocked access and restricted communication, Newmont said, adding that operations at the gold and copper mine have been suspended to focus resources on the rescue effort. 

According to British Columbia's mining database, Red Chris received Mines Act and Environmental Management approvals in May 2012 and began regular production in mid-2015. The mine's current projected operational timeline is expected to continue through 2043. 

What you should know about Red Chris:

Specialist teams from nearby mines are being assembled. Newmont has not provided a rescue timeline or indicated how long the refuge station can sustain the three miners.