PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diversified miner South32 has reported two fatalities at its Mozal aluminium smelter, in Mozambique, following an incident.
A contractor was also seriously injured in the same incident, and is receiving treatment, the miner said.
“We would like to express our sincere and deepest sympathies to the families of the deceased following this devastating incident. We are providing support and counselling to help them through this difficult time, as well as supporting our injured colleague and the Mozal team,” South32 said in a statement.
Reduction operations in Potroom A at Mozal have been suspended and an investigation into the incident is under way.
South32 earlier this year increased its interest in Mozal by an additional 25%, paying $250-million to purchase Mitsubishi’s interest in the project, and taking its own stake in the project to 72.1%
This increased stake resulted in the miner reported a 21% increase in saleable aluminium production at Mozal during the three months to September, producing 92 000 t in the September quarter.