David McKay reports that a report by the Chamber of Mines of SA (CoM) estimates the application of safety stoppages in terms of Section 54 of the Mine Health & Safety Act (MHSA) have cost the industry R4.84bn in lost revenue in 2015.  

This excludes the cost of mine workers that have to be paid while the mine sits idle, or the other costs incurred, or the cost of restarting shafts.  Anecdotal evidence suggests that 2016 could deliver yet more revenue losses owing to safety stoppages.  According to McKay, the problem is not with the legislation, but with its application, and it’s driving marginal mines to closure quicker than might be the case.  The CoM apparently wants to see safety legislation applied differently in which a section is closed rather than the whole mine in order to narrow the impact.  The MHSA allows for that in Section 55.  “In most cases the issuing of s55’s, in the first instance, will resolve the safety issue, without harming production or the viability of the mining operation,” the CoM said in the report which has not yet been publically released.

• Read this report in full at Miningmx

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