Eleven Fatalities at Impala Platinum Mine in South Africa

A South African platinum mine has reported eleven fatalities after a lift fell while lifting workers at the end of their shift. The company, Impala Platinum, said that 86 employees were standing in the lift at the time of the accident.

The lift stopped several times on the way up to collect the miners at the end of their shift. At the third stop, the lift suddenly started to go back down, causing a sudden stop. The rescue operation has been completed, and Impala Platinum has suspended operations at the mine. An investigation has been opened.

South Africa, rich in minerals, is the world’s leading producer of platinum and is a major exporter of gold, diamonds, coal, and other raw materials. The Johannesburg region, which still has many active gold and platinum mines, is dotted with slag heaps, shafts, and deep trenches left by generations of miners.