A blow to the head by a helicopter rotor has left a Department of Energy, Mines and Resources employee dead.

Geoff Bradshaw, 32, and a co-worker were collecting mineral samples on Wernecke Mountain about 180 kilometres north-northeast of Mayo at the time of the accident, said Const. Rene Bouchard of the Mayo RCMP.

The contracted helicopter went to pick up the two geologists on a ridge about 1,500 metres up the mountain, near the Copper Point airstrip, at approximately 1:30 p.m. Saturday, said Bouchard.

Bradshaw apparently stood up at the wrong time while trying to get into the helicopter and sustained a fatal hit to the head, Chief Coroner Sharon Hanley said today.

Bradshaw's partner on the mountain and the pilot are physically fine, said Hanley, but understandably shaken and traumatized by the incident.

Hanley said this is the first time she is aware of a helicopter accident of this nature occurring in the Yukon.

It is also the first time the Yukon Geological Survey branch has had a fatality, said survey manager Rod Hill.

There has never even been a serious accident before, Hill added.

'All our field staff are aware this is a potentially dangerous job,' he said. 'We try to develop a culture of safety.

'I don't know what happened. He must have had a temporary lapse. He must have been distracted somehow.'

Bradshaw was scheduled to be in the field from July 13 to 28.

Along with other geologists he was going to be visiting nearby areas to collect samples to evaluate the mineral potential of the region as part of an exploration project by Fronteer Development Group.

Bradshaw has been working as a mineral assessment geologist for the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources since about 2003, said Hill.

A British Columbia native, he has been doing work in the territory since 2000 and was now a Whitehorse-resident with a long-time girlfriend in town.

She is currently surrounded by family and friends, said Hill.

Bradshaw was a hard-working professional, said Hill, and will be sadly missed by the rest of the survey team.

'He was a great guy,' said Mike Burke, a staff geologist and friend of Bradshaw. 'He was a very smart geologist, a well-rounded and well-liked guy.'

Bradshaw was a drummer who would often get together with other geologists to jam, said Burke. And he loved his job.

'He loved every minute of it,' said Burke, describing geology as a combination of art and science.

'It's an exciting job. It gets you outdoors. You get to see places that other people don't ever get to see.'

It's a challenging profession, said Burke, and not only did Bradshaw like the challenge of it, he was good at it.

'(Bradshaw's death) leaves a big chunk gone,' said Burke, 'but he left a big chunk with us.'

The exploration and geologist community is quite small and operates in a teamwork environment, he added, and a lot of people are feeling the loss of Bradshaw today.

'We just lost a great guy who had a lot more to give. It sucks a lot.'

Much of the Yukon Geological Survey team is feeling dazed today, said Hill.

There are crews in the field across the territory and they are being called back to Whitehorse to take part in a counselling session, said Hill.

The female co-worker who was also on the mountain at the time of accident has been advised to get some counseling and to take time off, he added.

The incident is being treated as a workplace accident and will also be investigated by Transport Canada, said Hanley.

It is not a criminal matter and the RCMP will not be further involved in the investigation, said Bouchard.

No decisions have yet been made regarding Bradshaw's memorial service, said Burke, but he expects something will be held in Whitehorse later in the week.