SA mines hardest hit by blackouts
By Tina George
25 January 2008
The mining industry in South Africa considers today to be a dark Friday as the country’s largest gold and platinum producers came to a standstill.
This comes after three of the largest gold producers, AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields and Harmony along with Anglo Platinum have had to suspend underground operations due to a major powercut.
“It is indeed a state of emergency as production losses run into millions of rands,” says Deputy General Secretary of Solidarity, Dirk Hermann.
Eskom instructed mines to effect a daily electricity saving of 10% to 15% with a monthly saving of 60%.
Hermann added that it is not known when the mines will be able to proceed under operation as it seems as the problem might take up to a month.
25 January 2008
The mining industry in South Africa considers today to be a dark Friday as the country’s largest gold and platinum producers came to a standstill.
This comes after three of the largest gold producers, AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields and Harmony along with Anglo Platinum have had to suspend underground operations due to a major powercut.
“It is indeed a state of emergency as production losses run into millions of rands,” says Deputy General Secretary of Solidarity, Dirk Hermann.
Eskom instructed mines to effect a daily electricity saving of 10% to 15% with a monthly saving of 60%.
Hermann added that it is not known when the mines will be able to proceed under operation as it seems as the problem might take up to a month.
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