The CEO of the Minerals Council's industry body said on Tuesday that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, South Africa's mining output may fall by 8% to 10% this year. The virus began to be contained nationwide in late March. South Africa is the world's largest producer of platinum and chromium and a major producer of gold and diamonds, and its mines have been temporarily closed.

Since May 1, open-pit coal mines have been allowed to produce at full capacity again, while deep coal mines that are more difficult to socially alienate are limited to 50%. Sting Camp said he expects Harmony ’s acquisition of AngloGold Ashanti ’s Mponeng mine to be completed by the end of July, a month later than originally planned. Mponeng's 196 workers tested positive for Covid-19, and the mine was closed on Sunday. Stenkamp said that some of Harmony ’s mines have greater design capabilities than current capabilities, which makes it easier to implement Covid-19 protection measures. He said: "The size of the cage gives us a greater distance." But he added that some areas cannot maintain social distance. He added: "Some mines have a high infection rate, but so far we are lucky." To date, Harmony Gold said that two employees of a contractor at its Kalgold mine tested positive for Covid-19 .