A mine worker was killed in an accident at a mine near Klerksdorp on Friday, making it the sixth mine fatality this week, the National Union of Mineworkers said.

Meanwhile NUM spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said another miner remained trapped underground at a mine in Carletonville.

The mine worker died at Anglogold Ashanti's Moab Kgotsong mine due to a fall of ground on Friday morning. A few hours later, around noon, a mineworker at Anglogold Ashanti's Savuka mine became trapped underground after an earth tremor.

The sesismic event measured 2.9 on the Richter Scale.

Seshoka said the worker phoned to say he was badly injured and tried to explain where he was. However by Friday night the rescue team was still searching for him.

"A total of six mineworkers lost their lives this week alone."

On Thursday, a worker was killed at AngloGold Ashanti's Klerksdorp mine in an accident involving two hoppers, used to transport ore.

Three miners were killed in two accidents on Tuesday and Wednesday, both caused by earth tremors at Gold Fields' Kloof mine.

On Monday, at Impala and African Rainbow Minerals' Modikwa mine in Limpopo another mineworker died when emerging from underground.

Seshoka alleged that there was a "suspicion" that he could have been exposed to leaking gas underground.

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