The damage occurred during scheduled non-routine maintenance on the winder which services the vertical shaft accessing the deeper levels of the mine.
No injuries to personnel from this incident were reported.
Sibanye said the damage to the shaft infrastructure will require remediation, and access to the deeper levels of the mine will be impacted while remediation is underway.
Access to the upper levels of the Stillwater West mine and the Stillwater East mine (through the east portal) are unaffected and production from these areas, as well as from the East Boulder mine, will continue.
Production from the Stillwater West mine below 50 level will be suspended for approximately four weeks until the remediation is completed, resulting in approximately 25,000 2Eoz to 30,000 2Eoz less production for the year.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished