BARRICK Mining has temporarily furloughed some employees and subcontractors at its Kibali gold mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo following two Ebola deaths in a nearby community, Reuters reported.
An internal company memo, seen by Reuters, said the deaths had been confirmed by Congo's National Institute of Biomedical Research.
The memo, dated November 12 and signed by acting general manager Jean Marc Badibanga, said Barrick was investigating whether there were any links between the cases and its workforce.
Employees and subcontractors whose presence was not essential would be temporarily sent home as a precaution. The company did not disclose how many workers would be affected.
Employees who feel unwell have been instructed to stay away from work and contact company medical staff immediately.
Barrick did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.
The company had already stepped up Ebola precautions at Kibali in May following concerns about the spread of the disease in Haut-Uele province.
Kibali is one of Africa's largest gold mines. Barrick and AngloGold Ashanti each hold a 45% stake, with the remaining 10% owned by Congolese state mining company SOKIMO.
Congo's Ebola outbreak, the second-largest on record, has infected more than 11,000 people and killed over 5,000, according to government figures cited by Reuters.
No Ebola cases have been reported at industrial mines, although the outbreak has disrupted artisanal mining operations.