A series of tremors shook the Driefontein mine near Carletonville on Tuesday, injuring 17 mineworkers, Gold Fields confirmed.
Two miners were taken to hospital — one with a broken hand and another with a broken arm — said Billy Jacobsz, spokesperson for Gold Fields.
Jacobsz said the series of relatively large seismic events shortly after one another — measuring between one and three on the Richter Scale — made the incident ”rather unusual”.
They took place between 9.30am and 10.45am, he said. According to the trade union, Solidarity, three tremors struck between 9.30am and 2.55pm.
The last two caused falls of ground, said Chris Pienaar, Solidarity’s head of Occupational Safety.
”The series of seismic incidents at Driefontein is a source of grave concern,” said Pienaar.
”An investigation by the inspector of mines is at present under way in Driefontein to look into the earthquake that killed five workers at the mine’s number two shaft on May 10.”
A Solidarity statement said that this year nine workers had died at Driefontein in earthquakes. – Sapa