| Date | 27 November 2023 |
|---|---|
| Location | Rustenburg, South Africa |
| Cause | Falling mine elevator |
| Casualties | |
| 13 dead, 73 injured | |
An elevator accident occurred on 27 November 2023 at the Impala Platinum mine in Rustenburg, South Africa, when an ascending mine elevator fell 200 m down the number 11 shaft.[1] Eleven miners were killed on the scene and 75 injured, with a 12th and 13th miners dying later in hospital.[2] The elevator was stopped from falling further by automatic safety mechanisms, but the mechanisms failed when the counterweight became trapped, resulting in a sudden stop which led to the fatalities.[3][4]
See also
[edit]- Vaal Reefs mining disaster, a 1995 mine elevator accident in South Africa which was the world's worst, with a death toll of 104.
References
[edit]- ^ McKay, David (27 November 2023). "Eleven miners killed, 75 injured in Implats Rustenburg accident". Mining Mx.
- ^ Clowes, William (30 November 2023). "Implats to restart platinum mine after death of 13 workers". News24.
- ^ Stoddard, Ed (28 November 2023). "Implats says 11 miners killed, 75 in hospital after conveyance cage tragedy in Rustenburg". Daily Maverick.
- ^ Stoddard, Ed; Banda, Michelle (29 November 2023). "Failure of emergency protocol led to death of 11 Implats miners after 'rapid descent' of conveyance cage". Daily Maverick.