“Jupiter has been informed that the South African Department of Mineral Resources has served a Section 54 notice on the Tshipi Borwa Manganese Mine. It cites breaches relating mainly to recent pit wall failure and to drilling and blasting patterns. Mining operations have accordingly been temporarily suspended,” the company said on Monday August 27. 

Section 54 notices are issued under South Africa’s Mine Health and Safety Act. 

Tshipi’s management was to meet with the DMR on Monday in an attempt to have the notice lifted. October manganese sales will be affected if the notice is not lifted this week, Jupiter said. 

The mine had been operating ahead of its business plan and was on track to fulfill marketing commitments of 324,000 tonnes for September. 

Tshipi shipped 1.6 million tonnes of manganese in the financial year to July 2018 compared with a target of 1.3 million tonnes. Sales for August stand at 316,000 tonnes. 

The mine’s processing, shipping and logistics operations are continuing as normal.