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22 December 2023
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12 miners killed, 75 in hospital after conveyance cage tragedy in Rustenburg, North West
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11 miners were killed and 75 admitted to hospital after an accident at Impala Platinum’s Rustenburg operations involving the conveyance cage that takes workers underground and back to the surface on Monday, 27 November 2023. This tragedy is a major setback to the mining sector’s vastly improved safety record. One of the injured died in hospital bring the death toll to 12.
Implats said the incident occurred just before 17h00 on Monday when the conveyance cage was hoisting the miners to the surface after their shift. “At 16h54, the conveyance unexpectedly started descending. Its rapid descent was stopped by the conveyance counterweight becoming trapped by the jack catches,” it said. The miners were killed and injured when the cage’s plunge came to a sudden stop.
Implats spokesman Johan Theron told media some were severely injured, most suffered from ankle and leg fractures and others walked out with minor scratches.
"All emergency protocols were observed during the event and paramedics and our proto (search and rescue) teams were immediately mobilised," said Implats, adding that investigations into the cause of the incident are under way.
“This is the darkest day in the history of Implats and our hearts are heavy for the lives lost and the individuals affected by this devastating accident. We are deeply shocked and saddened by the loss of our colleagues and are in the process of ensuring all next of kin have been contacted.
"Implats is offering ongoing support to the families and colleagues of those lost in service. We also hold our injured colleagues in our thoughts at this incredibly difficult time," says Implats CEO Nico Muller.
Implats said in a statement that production remained suspended across the entire Impala Rustenburg mining complex for a second day to allow for mourning and to conduct precautionary internal and third-party audits on the conveyance and winding systems at every shaft. Production at 11 Shaft and 11C Shaft will remain suspended while internal investigations and inquiries into the accident are completed, remedial actions and repairs are undertaken and until regulatory approval is granted for the resumption of production. Production at all other Impala Rustenburg shafts will resume on Thursday, 30 November 2023.
The tragedy is a massive setback to the improving safety record of South Africa’s mining sector. Mining deaths in South Africa reached a record low of 49 in 2022. This figure was less than a fifth of the 2003 death toll of 270. In the 1980s as many as 800 miners were killed in a single year.
The accident occurred at the mine’s 11 shaft and is the company’s worst since 1974 when 13 of its employees were killed in an incident at a tailings dam, a company spokesman said.
Beyond the human tragedy, the disaster has struck during a tough time for Implats and other platinum group metals (PGM) producers, who are grappling with a collapse in prices for the precious metals. Implats’ share price at midday on Tuesday was down over seven percent, taking its decline in the year-to-date to over 63 percent.
Investors are increasingly concerned about safety, one of the key reasons for the strides on this front and Implats’ overall safety record will now come into focus. Two years ago, three employees at its Rustenburg operations were killed during a mud rush.
Impala Platinum Holding Limited (Implats) is a leading, fully integrated platinum group metals (PGMs) producer. Implats is structured around seven mining operations and Impala Refining Services, a toll-refining business. The Group’s mining operations are located on the Bushveld Complex in South Africa, the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe, the two most significant PGM-bearing ore bodies in the world and the Canadian Shield. Their mining operations include Impala Rustenburg, Impala Bafokeng, Marula, Two Rivers, Zimplats, Mimosa and Impala Canada.
Sources: Daily Maverick
Implats said the incident occurred just before 17h00 on Monday when the conveyance cage was hoisting the miners to the surface after their shift. “At 16h54, the conveyance unexpectedly started descending. Its rapid descent was stopped by the conveyance counterweight becoming trapped by the jack catches,” it said. The miners were killed and injured when the cage’s plunge came to a sudden stop.
Implats spokesman Johan Theron told media some were severely injured, most suffered from ankle and leg fractures and others walked out with minor scratches.
"All emergency protocols were observed during the event and paramedics and our proto (search and rescue) teams were immediately mobilised," said Implats, adding that investigations into the cause of the incident are under way.
“This is the darkest day in the history of Implats and our hearts are heavy for the lives lost and the individuals affected by this devastating accident. We are deeply shocked and saddened by the loss of our colleagues and are in the process of ensuring all next of kin have been contacted.
"Implats is offering ongoing support to the families and colleagues of those lost in service. We also hold our injured colleagues in our thoughts at this incredibly difficult time," says Implats CEO Nico Muller.
Implats said in a statement that production remained suspended across the entire Impala Rustenburg mining complex for a second day to allow for mourning and to conduct precautionary internal and third-party audits on the conveyance and winding systems at every shaft. Production at 11 Shaft and 11C Shaft will remain suspended while internal investigations and inquiries into the accident are completed, remedial actions and repairs are undertaken and until regulatory approval is granted for the resumption of production. Production at all other Impala Rustenburg shafts will resume on Thursday, 30 November 2023.
The tragedy is a massive setback to the improving safety record of South Africa’s mining sector. Mining deaths in South Africa reached a record low of 49 in 2022. This figure was less than a fifth of the 2003 death toll of 270. In the 1980s as many as 800 miners were killed in a single year.
The accident occurred at the mine’s 11 shaft and is the company’s worst since 1974 when 13 of its employees were killed in an incident at a tailings dam, a company spokesman said.
Beyond the human tragedy, the disaster has struck during a tough time for Implats and other platinum group metals (PGM) producers, who are grappling with a collapse in prices for the precious metals. Implats’ share price at midday on Tuesday was down over seven percent, taking its decline in the year-to-date to over 63 percent.
Investors are increasingly concerned about safety, one of the key reasons for the strides on this front and Implats’ overall safety record will now come into focus. Two years ago, three employees at its Rustenburg operations were killed during a mud rush.
Impala Platinum Holding Limited (Implats) is a leading, fully integrated platinum group metals (PGMs) producer. Implats is structured around seven mining operations and Impala Refining Services, a toll-refining business. The Group’s mining operations are located on the Bushveld Complex in South Africa, the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe, the two most significant PGM-bearing ore bodies in the world and the Canadian Shield. Their mining operations include Impala Rustenburg, Impala Bafokeng, Marula, Two Rivers, Zimplats, Mimosa and Impala Canada.
Sources: Daily Maverick