South Africa, Platinum Cos To Work To Improve Mine Safety

15th Jul 2010 17:39

By Robb M. Stewart Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES JOHANNESBURG (Dow Jones)--South Africa's government and executives from platinum mining companies agreed Thursday to work more closely to improve safety after five miners working underground were killed by falling rock last week. Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu, who earlier in the week warned the government wouldn't tolerate inferior safety measures, said platinum mines have been experiencing "disturbing accidents." South Africa is by far the world's largest producer of platinum, accounting for more than three quarters of the world's supply of a metal used primarily by the automotive industry and in jewelry. "Any loss of life is a huge blow to the mining industry and we have to do everything in our power to prevent further loss of life," Shabangu said following the meeting she had called with 15 chief executive officers of platinum mines. She said the industry has agreed to look at how rock engineers can work with government mine inspectors and with trade unions to share information and best practice models. She and the executives also agreed among other things that skills and training specific to the platinum industry must be a priority. "Government, business and labor have a responsibility to save lives and so we must work together to find ways of improving safety in our mines," Shabangu said. Gavin Mackay, a spokesman for Aquarius Platinum Ltd. (AQP.AU), said the general message from the meeting was that the industry needs to work together to continue to improve safety. Among other things, a structure was put in place to review safety research every three months, he said. A shaft at Aquarius's Marikana mine near Rustenburg, west of Pretoria, has been suspended since falling rock last week killed five contract workers. The company at the start of the month said it would review safety at its Blue Ridge platinum mine in the country following two fatalities the month before. The government regularly suspends mining operations following fatal accidents to allow time to investigate and for safety measures to be improved. Members of the National Union of Mineworkers, the country's biggest trade union, also often put down their tools for a day to mourn the death of a colleague in a mining accident. According to government figures, there were 65 mining fatalities between the start of the year and July 7 compared with 84 in the same period last year. The current figure includes 16 deaths in platinum mines and 34 in gold operations. -By Robb M. Stewart, Dow Jones Newswires; +27 11 783 7848; [email protected] (END) Dow Jones Newswires July 15, 2010 12:39 ET (16:39 GMT)