- South Africa has closed down two of Africa's largest gold mines, Gold Fields LTD's Driefontein and Kloof, after earth tremors killed three miners and wounded four others underground, early this week.
Gold Fields spokesperson Willie Jacobsz could however not say how long the mine's closure would last.
"Our main focus for now is to continue the search for the trapped worker," Mr Jacobsz said.
He said shaft at Driefontein, one of Gold Fields' key mines located near Johannesburg, had been hit by two tremors, and a team was searching for trapped worker, adding that four of them were injured, with two seriously wounded.
According to Mr Jacobsz, government today inspected Driefontein mine, which is situated about three kilometers underground.
The fatalities are a setback for Gold Fields Chief Executive Officer Nick Holland, who was forced to shut other unsafe mining areas, including South Deep mine, after it killed on 1 May.
Mr Holland explained that, "we won't mine if we can't mine safely.'' He also added stoppages would hurt Gold Fields' efforts to boost output.
He told media last week that in past four or five quarters, group was losing an average of about 700kg a quarter due to safety stoppages, but losses had eased as safety improved.
Driefontein and Kloof are located west of Johannesburg in Witwatersrand area, which has some of world's deepest and most dangerous gold mines.
Gold Fields, Africa's biggest miner of metal after Anglo Gold Ashanti Ltd, reportedly produced 928,000 ounces at Driefontein in fiscal 2008 and 821,000 ounces at Kloof.
South Africa is said to be currently reviewing results of a mine safety audit ordered after more than 3,000 Harmony Gold Mining Co. workers were trapped underground in Elandsrand mine a year ago.
Government began suspending mining operations following fatal accidents after mine deaths rose more than 10 percent last year to an estimated 221 from a year earlier.
Gold Fields reportedly advanced R2 or 2.8 percent to R74.75 as of 2:34 p.m. in Johannesburg, giving the company a market value of R49 billion (US$4.9 billion).
Group has gold mines in South Africa, Ghana, Australia and Peru. South Africa reportedly has an appalling safety record and about 140 workers have died in mines so far this year, compared to 221 in 2007 and 200 in 2006.
Gold Fields has had worst record of deaths among mining companies, and it has vowed to cease mining if it cannot mine safely. At the time, it shut part of Driefontein for safety improvements, group also closed main shaft at its Kloof mine in South Africa for safety repairs.
South African mining companies are said to have suffered production losses after fatalities due to routine shutdowns ordered by government for investigations and work stoppages by union members, who have vowed to stop work for a day to mourn death of colleagues.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
front page
| news
| countries
| archive
| currencies
| news alerts login
| about afrol News
| contact
| advertise
| español