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Anglo Pt, Northam restart cost hit mines Posted: Wed, 24 Oct 2007 [miningmx.com] -- ANGLO PLATINUM lost 9,000 oz of refined platinum and Northam Platinum shed 6,500 oz of platinum group metals (PGMS) after their mines were temporarily shut down by the government when workers were killed at their operations last week. Impala Platinum has had production from its Clapham shaft at the Marula mine suspended after two workers were killed there on Tuesday. "Clapham does about 150 oz of refined platinum a day," said spokesman Les Paton. The mines inspectorate has given no indication of how long the shaft will be closed. Anglo Platinum had three shafts at its Rustenburg mine closed from 17 October when a worker was killed underground. The suspension lifted on Wednesday cost the mine $13m in lost production. A full production shift will start on Thursday, said spokesman Trevor Raymond. The suspension has been lifted at Northam, the country's deepest platinum mine. Underground work was halted on 16 October when a worker was killed in a rockburst.p> The South African government has begun cracking down hard on companies when workers at killed at their operations. Blasting is likely to resume on Thursday and production underground will be built up in a phased process, said spokeswoman Marion Brower. The suspension cost Anglo Platinum, the world's largest platinum producer 1,300 oz of refined platinum a day, sending platinum prices in an extremely tight market rocketing to record highs.p> Gold companies have also felt the heat of the government's unhappiness at the number of people killed on the country's mines. Two hundred workers were killed on the mines last year and by the end of June this year, the death toll stood at more than 120. The mining industry committed itself in 2003 to reducing fatalities by 20% a year so that by 2013 it would be in line with the benchmark stands of Australia and North America. It's a tough ask given that South Africa has the world's deepest gold mines. A marked improvement was seen after the industry embarked on its drive to reduce fatalities, but the process stalled in 2006, with no improvement recorded. Click Here to subscribe to our daily newsletter
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