Thankfully, there were no injuries as a result of the incident. However, the damage to the ore collector bin and collapse of the conveyor system have forced a suspension of production.
Investigations into the cause of the incident are underway, and Sibanye-Stillwater is assessing the impact on production targets.
The Siphumelele shaft was expected to produce an average of around 4,500 4Eoz (platinum, palladium, rhodium, and gold) per month, or 54,000 4Eoz for the year. This represents roughly 3.5% of the company's South African PGM output.
Sibanye-Stillwater has informed all relevant stakeholders, including the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and labour unions. The company will release further details as soon as they become available.
