'Many hours to go' in mine rescue

Flowers outside the mine in Beaconsfield. Picture / Reuters

The rescue of the two men trapped in a mine in Tasmania will take many more hours, a union leader said today.

Bill Shorten of the Australian Workers Union said at 9.45am NZ time that rescuers trying to break through the last piece of rock were finding the work much harder than expected.

Small explosions are to be used to break through to the trapped miners.

He said: "The rock that is being encountered is just a lot harder than expectations.

"The work is pain staking and is going to take many hours yet."

Brant Webb, 37, and Todd Russell, 34, have been trapped underground for 12 days following a rock collapse. Larry Knight, 44, was killed in the accident.

It was hoped the two men would be rescued early this morning, but the difficulties encountered by rescuers have pushed that back.

Miners are now using picks, mini-pneumatic drills, diamond cutters and chemicals to expand and break down the rock. Three-men teams are working in six-hour shifts.

- HERALD ONLINE STAFF