Three workers have been killed following a seismic incident at Harmony Gold’s Kusasalethu mine near Carletonville, west of Johannesburg in South Africa. 

Workers were carrying out operations at the mine when around 3,100m of ground fell below the surface. 

It is understood that two other miners have yet to be located, with rescue operations by the company’s employees and volunteers underway at the site. 

Harmony Gold CEO Peter Steenkamp said: "Our sincerest condolences go to the family and friends of the deceased. We will not rest until the other two employees have been found and brought to surface."  

The company said that ground conditions have proven challenging for rescue operations. Activities at the mine were immediately suspended following the incident on 25 August. 

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"The company said that ground conditions have proven challenging for rescue operations."

Harmony is being assisted by personnel from South Africa's Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) inspectorate and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU). 

The company operates nine underground mines, with one open-pit site and several surface operations in the country. 

Located 90km from Johannesburg, Kusasalethu is in the West Witwatersrand Basin and carries out mining at the Ventersdorp Contact Reef, which is its main ore body. 

Mining at the site is conducted at a depth of 3,388m, according to the company. 

Around 124,198oz of gold at 5.78g/t was produced at the mine in the 2016 financial year, where two fatalities were reported.