Two Deaths at AngloGold Mines
August 18th, 2008South Africa. AngloGold Ashanti, Africa’s largest producer of Gold, said a worker was killed early Friday and six others injured by falling ground at its TauTona mine in South Africa.
“We have halted production in the area of the mine where the accident occurred and we are undertaking a rigorous Safety audit in the areas of the mine that are still operating,” said Joanne Jones, a spokeswoman for the Johannesburg-based company.The area makes up about 12 percent of production at TauTona and is unlikely to reopen before a government inspection on August 18.
Two workers were seriously injured, but are in a stable condition.
The incident follows the death of a worker in a tramming accident Monday 11 August at AngloGold’s Mponeng mine.
AngloGold, which operates some of the world’s deepest mines, for the first time in its history made it through a quarter without a mining death by recording 110 fatality-free days in the three months to the end of June. A worker was however killed after the quarter ended in a seismic event at its TauTona mine.
Five workers died at AngloGold operations in South Africa, Ghana and Brazil in the first three months of the year.
The National Union of Mieworkers said it was planning a full day of mourning at Mponeng on Thursday. The day of morning at the Tautona mine would be announced in due course.
South African mine deaths rose by about 11 percent to 221 last year, prompting the government to introduce a policy of temporarily shutting mines after fatal incidents.
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