An unprotected strike at AngloGold Ashanti’s Kopanang operations prevented the night shift from taking place on September 20, 2012. The strike is currently confined to this single mine, according to the company.
The Kopanang mine produced 90,000 oz of gold in the first half of this year, which was about 4% of AngloGold Ashanti’s total production over that period. AngloGold Ashanti’s South Africa operations accounted for approximately 32% of total group production during the first half of the year. Approximately 5,000 workers are employed at Kopanang, which lies roughly 200km southwest of Johannesburg
Last week, Gold Fields reported that its miners in the West Section of the KDC Gold Mine (KDC West, formerly Driefontein) on the West Rand in South Africa had been engaging in an unlawful and unprotected strike. Approximately 15,000 miners are participating in the strike and all production at KDC West had been suspended as a result.
