Barrick Mining is temporarily furloughing some employees and subcontractors at its Kibali gold mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a precaution following two reported Ebola deaths in a nearby community.
The measure was outlined in an internal company memo Reuters reviewed on November 12. The document, signed by Acting General Manager Jean Marc Badibanga, said the country's National Institute of Biomedical Research had confirmed the deaths, while the company checked whether there were any links to its workforce.
The temporary furloughs will affect employees and subcontractors whose presence at the site is considered non-essential. The company did not disclose how many workers would be affected, saying those concerned would be notified directly.
Employees who feel unwell have been instructed not to report to work and to contact the company's medical staff immediately. Barrick did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.
The Kibali gold mine is located in Haut-Uele province in northeastern DR Congo and is one of Africa's largest gold-producing operations. Barrick Mining and AngloGold Ashanti each hold a 45 percent stake in the mine, while the Congolese state-owned mining company SOKIMO owns the remaining 10 percent.
The precautionary measures come amid a wider Ebola outbreak in the country. However, no Ebola cases have been confirmed at industrial mining operations, although the outbreak has affected artisanal mining activities, according to Reuters.
The situation highlights the potential impact of public health emergencies on major mining operations in one of Africa's leading gold-producing countries.
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