Sibanye-Stillwater Rescues All 260 Miners Underground Following Shaft Incident, South Africa
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Sibanye-Stillwater has confirmed that all 260 employees have safely returned to surface following the shaft incident at Kloof 7 Mine in South Africa.
The company said at no point was there any risk of injury to employees during the incident, which occurred when the skip door of the Kloof 7 sub-shaft rock winder opened at the loading point on level 39, impacting levels 40, 41 and below.
Comprehensive safety inspections and a shaft integrity assessment, along with the necessary repairs, were carried out before employees could be safely brought to surface. Based on these safety evaluations, a decision was made for employees to remain at their respective stations underground rather than use emergency escape routes, which would have required long walking distances.
Mine rescue and medical teams were deployed promptly, and measures were taken to ensure employees were safe and had access to food and water. All affected employees will also undergo thorough medical examinations, if required, while support has also been extended to employees’ families.
“Safety remains our core priority, and we will not resume operations until we are confident that all the necessary remedial actions have been implemented. I would like to thank our management, mine rescue, and medical teams for their dedication in ensuring that our colleagues returned safely to their families,” said Sibanye-Stillwater CEO Neal Froneman.
Sibanye-Stillwater is engaging with the Chief Inspector of Mines, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, and trade unions. Operations will only resume once all safety and risk assessments are concluded and the shaft is deemed safe.
Sibanye-Stillwater is a multinational mining and metals processing group with a diverse portfolio of operations, projects and investments across five continents. The group is also one of the foremost global recyclers of a suite of metals and has interests in leading mine tailings retreatment operations. Sibanye-Stillwater is one of the world’s largest primary producers of platinum, palladium, and rhodium and is a top tier gold producer. It also produces and refines iridium and ruthenium, nickel, chrome, copper, and cobalt. The group has also diversified into battery metals mining and processing and has increased its presence in the circular economy by growing its recycling and tailings reprocessing exposure globally.
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