Mining Weekly reports that diamond miner BlueRock Diamonds has suspended operations at its Kareevlei mine following an unscheduled visit by officials of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) on 20 January.
The officials issued an instruction in terms of Section 54 and Section 55 of the Mines Health and Safety Act that activities at the mine be suspended until contraventions as identified were rectified. Kareevlei is challenging the procedures followed by the officials, as well as the instruction to suspend operations, which BlueRock believes are not consistent with the protocols or requirements of the Act. "It is emphasised that the contraventions which were identified do not place employees or other workers on the site at risk, and management is of the opinion that the instruction to suspend operations is not appropriate given the nature of the findings," BlueRock indicated. The miner added that it was dealing with the matters raised by the DMRE, most of which related to the processing plant. It said corrective action would be completed by 24 January, with the site expected to be operational by 27 January.
- Read the original of the report in the above regard at Mining Weekly
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