A worker has been killed at a copper mine on Tasmania’s west coast where two men died last month.

The 53-year-old man died from injuries received in a workplace accident at the Mount Lyell mine in Queenstown just before 8:00am (AEDT).

The loader operator, a contractor with Barminco, was not responding when found by the mine’s rescue team.

The mine operator, Copper Mines of Tasmania, says the man died after what is known as a mud rush in the mine’s lower levels.

A mud rush is a sudden inflow of mud from underground openings, and they have been the cause of other mining deaths in Australia.

It is the third death at the mine in six weeks.

Last month, two men died after falling from a platform in the main shaft.

Craig Gleeson, 45, and and Alastair Lucas, 25 plunged 35 metres down the shaft while they were doing maintenance work.

Workplace safety officers are investigating the deaths at the mine.

In a statement, General Manager Scot Clyde expressed extreme regret about the latest incident.

“Our deepest sympathies are with the family of the worker, his immediate work mates and also our other site employees who will be saddened by this tragic accident,” Mr Clyde said.

Full production restarted at the mine less than a month ago.

There have been nine deaths in Tasmanian mines since 2000.