Dam Breach Diamond Mine Halts Production for Three Months
November 13, 22
(IDEX Online) - Petra Diamonds says it will suspend operations for up to three months following the breach of its tailings dam at the Williamson mine, in Tanzania.
The UK-based miner also reported three minor injuries and damage to 13 homes after the breach caused widespread flooding.
A team of experts from Tanzania's National Environment Management Council (NEMC) is currently assessing the damage, together with Petra representatives.
Dr Samuel Gwamaka, of NEMC, told The Citizen newspaper: "We are aiming to avoid more flooding, as by yesterday, they had covered at least 8 kilometres of the area. So we are trying to avoid more spread of mud and mining waste."
He said mud had damaged houses and farmland.
Petra, which has a 75 per cent holding in the mine, said it was planning to operate a new tailings storage facility which was already under construction at the time of the incident.
"A preliminary estimate suggests that production will be temporarily suspended for up to three months until the new TSF has been commissioned," it said in a statement.
"In the interim, and to minimise the overall/medium term impact of the lost production, planned maintenance will be brought forward along with accelerated waste stripping."