JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's Harmony Gold Mining Co. said on Monday 26 October two workers died at its Target mine in the country's Free State province after rocks fell on them.

Photo: www.harmony.co.za

Harmony, the world's fifth-biggest gold producer and third largest in Africa, said in a statement the company did not know how many other employees had been affected, but rescue operations were underway.

Earlier, the company said four workers had been trapped underground.

The company's spokeswoman, Esha Brijmohan, said she could not confirm whether production at the mine was continuing or not.

South Africa has the world's deepest mines and one of the highest rates of work-related mining deaths in the industrialised world.

Last year 168 workers died in mines, down 24 percent from the previous year. So far this year more than 120 miners have died in South African mines.