[miningmx.com] – GOLD theft by gangs of illegal miners who operate for months in South Africa’s abandoned mines is now spreading to operating mines, said Bloomberg News citing the security manager at Sibanye Gold.
They’re not satisfied with abandoned mines anymore, they’re targeting working mines with richer ore,’ said Hein Westraadt told Bloomberg News following the arrest of 33 men recently. “This was by far our biggest bust, but they keep coming,’ he said.
Said Graham Briggs, CEO of Harmony Gold: “It’s a huge problem across South Africa. There’s certainly more aggression and it’s more competitive. Any number of illegal miners can be a threat to your organization, especially from a safety perspective.’
Harmony Gold recently shut its biggest mine, Kusasalethu for two weeks in order to counter more than 100 alleged illegal miners at the operation.
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