JOHANNESBURG, July 3 (Reuters) – A fire that killed five
workers at the weekend at the KDC West mine operated by world
No. 4 bullion producer Gold Fields was still burning on
Tuesday, a spokesman for the company said.
Spokesman Sven Lunsche said the fire was not out of control
and both the KDC East and West mines would remained closed until
further notice. The entire KDC operation produces just over one
million ounces a year, or about 31 percent of group production.
The deaths are a setback for the government and the
industry, trying to improve safety at mines that include the
deepest in the world.
In 2011, the country’s mining sector recorded no
“disasters”, defined as a single incident in which four or more
people die.
(Reporting by Ed Stoddard; Editing by Jon Herskovitz)
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