Photo by: Duane Daws
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Two employees of platinum miner Royal Bafokeng Platinum’s (RBPlat’s) Styldrift mine, in the North West, have been injured as a result of an acetylene gas cylinder explosion at the mine on Friday morning.
RBPlat spokesperson Lindiwe Montshiwagae told Mining Weekly Online that the injured employees had been taken to hospital; however, she noted that the situation was “not too serious”, and emphasised that there were no fatalities.
She added that the other employees who had been in the vicinity when the explosion occurred had also been taken to hospital for observation relating to possible gas inhalation.
Montshiwagae said operations in the area where the explosion had taken place had been halted pending the outcome of an investigation.
“The Department of Mineral Resources has been informed, inspections of the affected area are being undertaken and work will only resume once these have been completed,” RBPlat said in a statement.