Lightning strikes cut power at big PNG gold mine

Lightning strikes cut power at big PNG gold mine

Production at the Porgera gold mine in Papua New Guinea will likely suffer after a lightning strike disrupted power supplies, part-owner Emperor Mines Ltd. (ASX: EMP.ax) said on Thursday.

A number of generators were knocked out by a series of lightning strikes, reducing power to the mine, it said.

Supplementary power was helping reduce the impact of the electricity loss and the extent of the damage had yet to be fully assessed, Emperor said.

Emperor owns a 20 percent interest in the mine, which is majority-owned by Canadian Barrick Gold Corp. ABX.TO.

The mine is located in Enga province and employs about 2,300 workers. Last year it yielded more than one million ounces of gold, making it one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.

South Africa’s DRDGOLD DRDJ.J owns 79 percent of Emperor, which earlier this month decided to close its Vatukoula mine in Fiji after an review showed the mine was no longer viable.

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