Sierra Rutile sees limited operations during Ebola lockdown

(Reuters) - Minerals group Sierra Rutile Ltd said its operations would be restricted during the three-day countrywide lockdown to halt the spread of Ebola across Sierra Leone and that it would optimise operations in the lead-up to mitigate overall impact of the disruption. The company, which mines rutile in the south west of Sierra Leone, said export of products to customers would not be affected and that essential services such as the power plant and a health clinic would continue to operate as normal. The West African country will restrict residents to the areas around their homes for three days from Sept. 19 in a bid to halt new infections and help health workers track down people suffering from the disease. Ebola, a contagious, haemorrhagic fever was first discovered in eastern Guinea in March and has since killed more than 2,400 people, mostly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, making it the worst Ebola outbreak the world has seen.