THOUSANDS of gold miners are stayed away from work on Wednesday in a one-day strike at Free State gold mines to protest against job losses and poverty. Gold Fields, the world’s second largest gold producer, said mining operations at its Beatrix, St Helena and Oryx mines have effectively ground to a halt after 11000 members of the National Union of Mineworkers failed to show up for work. “It appears the plants are working, but mining operations have been hit,” Gold Fields spokesman Willie Jacobsz said. Gold Fields estimated the one-day job action will cost St Helena about R1,5-million in lost revenue, Beatrix about R3,6-million, and Oryx roughly R1-million.