An operational shake-up is underway at the Highland Valley Copper operation near Logan Lake.

Teck Resources, which operates the giant mine, says it’s been forced to shut down the so-called “Valley Pit” at the mine due to “geotechnical instability” — or the risk of a slide.

Teck says there is no risk to the staff, saying those scheduled to be working out of the “Valley Pit” are being transferred to other parts of the mine for the time being.

No word on when the “Valley Pit,” one of several pits currently being dug in Canada’s largest open-pit copper mine, will be operational again.

“There is no risk to the environment or surrounding communities, and HVC is operating normally using stockpiled ore at the site,” said the company in a brief news release.

The move by Teck comes just over 2-weeks after the United Steel Workers staged a brief “safety stand down” at the mine due to concerns about the collapse of a massive scoop shovel which had been undergoing maintenance at the time.

At that time, Teck said it was working with its employees to “strengthen safety performance.”