JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Certain areas of the number one shaft at Gold Fields’ Driefontein mine, near Carletonville, were closed on Monday, after two seismic events led to the injury of seven workers.

Gold Fields spokesperson Sven Lunsche said that the company had closed two raise lines at the shaft. These areas would remain closed until further assessment by the company and the Department of Mineral Resources.

The first seismic event occurred at 04:50 on Monday morning, with three workers being injured. All three have since been discharged from hospital.

A second seismic event occurred at about 06:30, injuring four more workers. Two had been treated at the scene, while two more were still under observation in hospital.

Lunsche noted, however, that there had been no serious injuries.

Both seismic events had measured between 2,7 and 2,8 on the Richter scale.

The National Union of Mineworkers called for improved seismic monitoring systems to be implemented in South African mines.

However, Lunsche said that Gold Fields has been monitoring seismicity for the past ten years, but added that it was “still impossible” to predict a seismic event.

He noted that there was a degree of certainty, but that this was still a small degree of certainty.

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