When South Africa shut down its mining industry to contain the coronavirus, more than 450 000 workers were sent home in 24 hours. Getting them back will take much longer for the nation’s gold and platinum miners. Ramping up production at the world’s deepest mines could take three to four weeks as thousands of returning employees are screened for Covid-19, according to Johan Theron, a spokesman for Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd. Workers will need to be checked for high temperatures, while social distancing and other measures are introduced to prevent the spread of the virus, he said.
