JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Two separate incidents within two days have resulted in one fatality and two miners being trapped at Sibanye Gold’s Cooke operations.
On Monday, two contractors at Cooke 1 shaft, engaging in illegal mining activities post their shift, had entered an abandoned and sealed raise line and were subsequently trapped after a fall-of-ground.
Rescue teams were working to reach the trapped miners.
“Our priority is the safety of both the employees and the rescue teams. We have advised the Department of Mineral Resources and are working together to bring both these employees out. We are also in contact with their families and remain hopeful that we will be successful in our rescue operations,” CEO Neal Froneman said in a statement on Tuesday.
In a separate incident on Tuesday, a miner was fatally injured in a materials handling accident involving a pinch bar at Cooke 3 shaft.