[miningmx.com] — OPERATIONS at the Pilanesburg platinum mine belonging to Platmin will be disrupted for some time, following an illegal disruption by employees of the mining contractor.
“Platmin’s priorities since the disruptions have been to ensure the safety of employees and the security of assets and equipment; to minimise the impact on production by processing stockpile material and conducting maintenance; and the rapid resumption of mining operations,” read a company statement.
The company added that the damage to the contractor’s own and leased operational and personally allocated vehicles was being assessed.
Drilling and blasting equipment, which was fundamental to mining activity, was not affected.
“Platmin is assisting MCC (the contractor), who are engaged with the National Union of Mineworkers in terms of MCC’s recognition agreement, and the parties are working closely with the South African Police Services in identifying and prosecuting those individuals involved in the disruptions. Several arrests have been made.”
While mining activities had been affected by these events, Platmin’s concentrator had operated at full capacity throughout the period by processing stockpiled, oxidised reef and in fact despatched record metal in concentrate during June.
Scheduled preventative maintenance would be brought forward to align with future production planning.
Platmin said the process of consultation with the union on the safe and orderly resumption of operations had been constructive and a further meeting had been scheduled for Monday.
“MCC’s engineering personnel could resume work immediately thereafter to repair or replace the affected vehicles. Drilling and blasting crews and the load and haul crews not involved in the disruptions can start work as soon as agreement has been reached between the parties.”
