Fellow cons renegade at mines (7)

I believe the answer is:

inmates

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'fellow cons' is the definition.
'inmates' can be an answer for 'cons' (I've seen this in another clue). I am not sure about the 'fellow' bit.

'renegade at mines' is the wordplay.
'at mines' anagrams to 'INMATES'.
However, I'm not sure how this is indicated.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for inmates that I've seen before include "Ties man (anag.)" , "Inhabitants" , "Prisoners" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.