PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Copper/gold miner Oz Minerals has suspended production at its Prominent Hill mine, in South Australia, following severe state-wide storms, which resulted in power interruptions.
The entire state of South Australia suffered a blackout on Wednesday afternoon as the region faced one of the most severe storms in 50 years. The storm took down three transmission lines and nine towers in the Port Augusta region, severing the electricity connection between South Australia and Victoria.
Oz Minerals said on Thursday that the company had not yet received a definitive timeline as to when power would be restored to the Prominent Hill site, as suppliers were determining the full extent of the damage to the transmission network.
The mine site itself suffered no damage, and generators were providing power for essential services. Meanwhile, no significant safety issues have arisen at the mine site, or any of Oz Minerals’ other sites, the company said.
High winds are forecast to continue at Prominent Hill for the rest of Thursday, but will ease by Friday.