The oldest mine in the Carletonville area, Blyvooruitzicht, this week indicated that it will close shafts, a step which can cost many employees their jobs.

  On Monday Blyvoor’s mother company, DRDGOLD Limited announced that, following a recommendation from the mine’s board of directors it has resolved to suspend all further mining at Blyvoor’s low-grade Number 4 and 6 Shafts with immediate effect.

  According to Blyvoor’s spokesman, Mr. James Duncan, this step may jeopardize the jobs of up to 1 800 employees of the mine.

  As a result of this, Blyvoor’s management has already given notice in terms of Section 189 (3) of the Labour Relations Act to the National Union of Mineworkers and UASA of a 60-day process to seek consensus on the possible cutbacks.

  “These measures follow a decline since April 2011 in recovery grades to below cut-off at the two shafts, which are used mainly to pump water from underground to surface and into Blyvoor’s surface recovery circuit.  Both shafts failed to respond to turnaround efforts since the introduction of business rescue proceedings in the second half of last year,” says Duncan.

  For the time being, pumping of underground water from the two shafts will not be affected by the cutbacks.

  In the meantime production from Blyvoor’s surface recycling circuit and at its principal No 5 production shaft; from which it plans to access an additional 400 000 ounces it is seeking to acquire from AngloGold Ashanti’s Savuka Mine, are not affected by the decision.

  According to Duncan, DRDGOLD has notified Village Main Reef Limited, with who the company is currently in negotiations for the disposal of its stake in Blyvoor, of its decision, and is of the view that the proposed sale will not be negatively affected by it.