| Mon 28 Jun 2010, 10:49 | | HAR - Harmony Gold Mining Company Ltd - Phakisa Mine:Explosion Update |
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HAR
HAPS
HAR - Harmony Gold Mining Company Ltd - Phakisa Mine:Explosion Update
Harmony Gold Mining Company Ltd
Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa
Registration number: 1950/038232/06
JSE Share code: HAR
NYSE Share code: HMY
NASDAQ Share code: HMY
ISIN: ZAE000015228
PHAKISA MINE: EXPLOSION UPDATE
Fourth rescue team member dies
Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited (Harmony) regrets to announce that Mr Josie
Randall, a member of the Mines Rescue Services team (proto team) injured in an
underground explosion on Thursday, 24 June 2010 at Harmony`s Phakisa Mine near
Welkom in the Free State, has died.
This brings to four the number of specialised proto team members who died as a
result of the explosion, which occurred while the team were attending to a fire
on 66 Level, some 2 013 metres below surface late on Thursday night. A fifth
team member is in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
Harmony`s CEO Graham Briggs said today that, while the cause of the explosion
was not yet known, he was extremely concerned to have been informed that, while
work was being done to restore ventilation to 66 Level, `booby trap` explosive
devices (similar to those made by criminal miners) had been discovered some 900
metres from the accident scene.
Briggs said the company was doing everything in its power to rid its mines of
criminal miners, with the full knowledge and assistance of the DMR and the SAPS.
"Measures include the installation of additional security fencing and biometric
and security card readers at all shafts, the banning of food being taken
underground, and implementation of an amnesty, of which 102 criminal miners took
advantage and returned to surface."
Briggs expressed his personal condolences and those of the company, to the
families and colleagues of the proto team members who have died.
"These men were volunteer members of a highly trained, experienced corps of mine
rescue workers, extremely knowledgeable about mine safety standards, who risk
their lives to save those of others in danger. It is tragic and extraordinary
that they have died in these circumstances, and we will spare no efforts to
determine the cause."
Briggs said that: "At this stage of the investigation we simply do not know what
happened."
The full investigation to establish the causes of the accident will continue
during the week.
Ends.
For more details contact:
Marian van der Walt
Executive: Corporate and Investor Relations
On +27 82 888 1242
Corporate Office:
Randfontein Office Park
PO Box 2
Randfontein
South Africa 1760
T: +27 11 411 2000
www.harmony.co.za
Sponsor:
J.P. Morgan Equities Limited
Date: 28/06/2010 10:49:01 Produced by the JSE SENS Department.
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