Barrick Furloughs Some Kibali Workers After Ebola Deaths Nearby

Barrick Mining is furloughing some employees and subcontractors at its Kibali gold mine in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo after two Ebola deaths were reported in a nearby community.

The furlough covers employees and subcontractors whose presence is not essential, and affected workers will be contacted directly. Badibanga wrote that Barrick was checking “whether there are any links to our workforce.”

Barrick instructed employees who feel ill to stay home and contact mine medical staff. It does not identify an infected Kibali worker or state how many people will be furloughed.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo had 11,114 confirmed cases and 5,433 confirmed deaths from Bundibugyo virus disease as of Nov. 10. Haut-Uele, where Kibali is located, is among the provinces affected by the outbreak.

Barrick operates Kibali and owns a 45% stake in the mine’s joint venture. AngloGold Ashanti owns another 45%, while Société Minière de Kilo-Moto holds the remaining 10%.