Sibanye-Stillwater has suspended mining operations at its Kloof 4 shaft in South Africa after it suffered infrastructure damage, reported Reuters.
No injuries were reported after the incident, noted the news agency, which occurred on July 30 during a standard safety trial run of the conveyance system.
“The incident occurred between shifts and all employees below 39 level were safely brought to the surface without any injuries sustained,” the company said.
According to the miner, the damage occurred when an ascending counterweight to the conveyance encountered an unknown obstruction in the shaft, resulting in a number of ballast plates to fall down the shaft.
Work has started to ensure the safety of the shaft in order to assess the extent of the damage and facilitate repairs, said Sibanye-Stillwater. “The extent of structural damage to the shaft steelwork has not yet been established but may result in a significant delay to the resumption of operations below 39 level.”
The Kloof 4 shaft produces 14% of Sibanye-Stillwater’s gold output.
Source: Reuters