Aquarius Platinum's claims that its Everest and Marikana mines have been given a clean bill of health in the presidential safety audits have been refuted by the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME).

Earlier this week, the miner issued a statement claiming that both projects had passed mining rights compliance inspections and were the first mines in the country to be passed by inspectors as part of the newly introduced government audit system.

However, Thabo Dube, acting Chief Inspector of Mines, has refuted the company's assertions and said that safety problems persist at both operations.

He told busrep.co/za: "That is not true; it is a misrepresentation. There are safety problems at both mines."

Mr Dube's comments were echoed by his colleague DME director general Sandile Nogxina, who told the Times that "the DME has not yet cleared any South African mine as part of the audit process".

The inspections are part of a nationwide programme to assess safety standards in mine which was announced last year by President Thabo Mbeki.

Source:

Safety below par at Aquarius mines, says DME, 10/01/08
http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4199613

Aquarius claim fishy, 10/01/08
http://www.thetimes.co.za/Business/Article.aspx?id=675752


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