By Kemo Cham
The miner, Sierra Rutile says it has mounted an investigation into a fire incident at its Mineral Separation Plant (MSP) in Bonthe.
The company said the incident, which it described as minor, occurred on 7 October, 2020. It said only one person suffered a minor injury and they only underwent first aid treatment at its medical facility.
According to its statement, the fire started in the secondary rutile recovery circuit of the feed preparation section of the plant at around 7:30pm. It said Sierra Rutile personnel responded and the fire was subsequently brought under control within two hours.
The incident caused a temporary shutdown of the company’s activities. But the statement said operations were scheduled to recommence within a week.
“The circuit represents a relatively minor part of the plant’s operations. SRL expects to resume production activities within a week. The interruption to production is at this stage not expected to be significant,” the statement reads in part.
“The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. Sierra Rutile’s first and enduring priority is the health and safety of its employees. Consistent with the company’s policies, this incident will be thoroughly investigated and mitigating actions implemented,” it added.
SRL is the leading rutile miner in the country, with operations in two districts: Bonthe and Moyamba.
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