JOHANNESBURG (miningweeekly.com) – The No. 4 shaft at gold producer Gold Fields’ Kloof mine, in Gauteng, was still closed on Thursday, after a fatality occurred the previous day.

Gold Fields spokesperson Julian Gwillim said that an inspector from the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) had visited the site on Thursday morning, and had been presented with the results from the internal investigation into the accident.

On the advice of the inspector, certain operational aspects have been reviewed and was currently being implemented.

Operations were suspended on Wednesday after a worker was killed during an underground cleaning operation.

Gwillim was unable to comment on how much production would be lost as a result of the the closure of the No. 4 shaft.

The Kloof mine produced 25 533 kg, or 821 000 oz in the 2008 financial year.

To subscribe to Mining Weekly's print magazine email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or buy now.