Mine’s operator mentioned the raise accident occurred as workers have been leaving a shaft on the finish of their shift.
Eleven employees at a South African platinum mine have been killed and 75 others injured after a raise bringing the employees again to the floor dropped about 200 metres (656 toes), in response to the mine’s operator.
Impala Platinum mentioned the “severe accident” occurred on Monday within the late afternoon at its mine in Rustenburg, northwest of Johannesburg, as workers have been leaving one of many shafts on the finish of their shift.
“Our hearts are heavy for the lives misplaced and the people affected by this devastating accident,” Impala Platinum’s (Implats) CEO, Nico Muller, mentioned in an announcement on Tuesday. “We’re deeply shocked and saddened by the lack of our colleagues and are within the means of making certain all subsequent of kin have been contacted”.
The corporate mentioned 75 employees have been injured and have been transferred to native hospitals and admitted for therapy.
Implats spokesman Johan Theron informed the AFP information company some have been severely injured, most suffered from ankle and leg fractures, and others walked out with minor scratches.
The accident occurred shortly earlier than 5pm (15:00 GMT) on Monday because the raise hoisting workers “unexpectedly began descending”, in response to the corporate. “Its speedy descent was stopped by the conveyance counterweight turning into trapped by the jack catches,” it mentioned in an announcement.
South Africa is the world’s largest producer of platinum.
The nation had 49 fatalities from all mining accidents in 2022, a lower from 74 the 12 months earlier than. Deaths from South African mining accidents have steadily decreased within the final twenty years from almost 300 within the 12 months 2000, in response to South African authorities figures.
