Police were called to Curragh Coal Mine in central Queensland about 3pm on Friday, where the missing worker is believed to have been inside the mine when the roof collapsed and could be trapped as deep as one kilometre underground.
Another worker was assessed at the scene and declined further transport to hospital, the Queensland Ambulance Service said. Paramedics remain on standby.
Resources Safety and Health Queensland said in a statement that it was responding to the incident, with its focus on supporting efforts to recover the worker.
Queensland's Acting Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Tony Perrett said emergency service and rescue crews remained on site and were doing everything possible.
He said two workers had been recovered safely following the collapse, leaving one more trapped.
"My thoughts are with all of those involved, their loved ones, the entire mining community," Mr Perrett said.
Curragh Coal Mine is located north of Blackwater, about 200 kilometres west of Rockhampton.
The site covers about 256 square kilometres across two separate mines, and has been in operation since 1983. Curragh has been owned by Coronado Global Resources since buying the mine in 2018.
In October 2025, Coronado was fined $80,000 plus court costs for the death of one of its workers at Curragh, Clark Peadon, in 2021.
Another worker, Donald Rabbitt, was killed at the mine in 2020. All charges in relation to Mr Rabbitt's death were later dropped.
Queensland's Mining and Energy Union and Coronado have both been contacted for comment.
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