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Table 2 Demographic and occupational characteristics of South African ex-miners who left the industry 2001–2013, with crude mortality rates (N = 306,297)

From: Precarious transition: a mortality study of South African ex-miners

Characteristic

 

N

%

Crude mortality rate (per 1000 person-yrs)

TOTAL

 

306,297

100

23.1

Gender

 Male

 

290,765

94.9

23.6

 Female

 

15,532

5.1

10.5

Racial ascription

 Black

 

255,364

83.4

26.4

 White

 

46,857

15.3

8.0

 Coloured

 

3453

1.1

13.2

 Indian

 

507

0.2

8.0

 Unknowna

 

116

3.8

5.2

Commodity

 Gold only

 

130,037

42.5

25.3

 Platinum only

 

74,507

24.3

19.8

 Coal only

 

3588

1.2

6.2

 Other only

 

4080

1.3

9.5

 Multiple sectorsb

 

60,551

19.8

32.1

 Unknown

 

33,534

11.0

11.9

Occupational category

 Underground only

 

155,093

50.6

21.5

 Surface only

 

64,582

21.1

15.5

 Underground and surface

 

80,412

26.3

34.3

 Unknown

 

6210

2.0

5.8

Age at exit (years)

 15–24.9

 

41,704

13.6

8.8

 25–34.9

 

103,557

33.8

18.7

 35–44.9

 

75,611

24.7

30.6

 45–54.9

 

59,024

19.3

29.3

 55–64.9

 

25,624

8.4

25.6

  ≥ 65

 

777

0.3

23.5

Time in employment (years)

 0–4.9

 

217,860

71.1

18.3

 5–9.9

 

33,173

10.8

33.3

 10–14.9

 

29,861

9.7

37.9

 15–19.9

 

16,063

5.2

34.3

 20–24.9

 

5913

1.9

24.1

  ≥ 25

 

3427

1.1

22.3

Calendar year of exit (years)

 2001–2004

 

66,437

21.7

25.0

 2005–2009

 

117,358

38.3

22.9

 2010–2013

 

122,502

40.0

17.8

  1. a“Unknown” category comprises missing, null or negative data. b “Multiple sectors” includes any combination of more than one sector, including individuals who spent a period of time in a sector reported as ‘unknown’