The impact of power shortages on the South African miners is worsening, with another company confirming it has ceased operations on the grounds that the cuts could endanger its workforce.

State-owned utility Eskom told miners it could not guarantee a supply of power to their mines yesterday.

In response, Anglo Platinum halted production at all its operations, Impala Platinum said that it has shut down its mine at the Rustenburg complex and Northam Platinum confirmed that its operations were not running at full capacity.

Dick Kruger, Chamber of Mines Assistant Adviser of Techno-Economics, told Mining Weekly: "The decision to keep underground workers on surface will have an impact on productivity as well as on operating costs, but the decision was motivated by the need to put the safety of employees first."

Now Lonmin Platinum has also said it is withdrawing its workers from its operations, according to a report from Mineweb.com.

In other developments, the Solidarity trade union has that later today it will announce a 15-point plan which will attempt to address the situation.

SOURCES:

Power crisis deals SA mines a knock-out, 25/01/08
http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page674?oid=45163&sn=Detail

Electricity crisis worsens, mines close, 25/01/08
http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=125366


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