Management of Sibanye Gold on Tuesday confirmed that 32kg (1 029oz) of production had been lost during the four-day suspension of Beatrix 4 shaft operations.
It added that about 61kg (1 961oz) would be lost from the affected area every month that production does not take place. It was not clear when full production would be achieved.
But management said partial production had resumed at Beatrix 4 Shaft (previously the Oryx Mine) on Monday.
Sibanye Gold, listed on Johannesburg and New York Stock Exchanges, suspended operations at Beatrix 4 Shaft on Wednesday last week after a fire damaged a significant part of Beatrix 4 Shaft.
Beatrix management has isolated and sealed off the affected area. Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide levels confirm that there is no leakage on the seals, the company said in a statement.
“The morning shift resumed operations in the unaffected working areas and crews from the affected area have been redirected to gold recovery activities in older working areas,” it said.
The fire, which affected 2 700m2 of the Zone 5 production area, had not yet been extinguished and management was unsure when it would be able to resume operations in that area or the extent of the damage.
The extent of the damage may result in partial sterilisation of the ore body, the company said.
