Around 160,000 NUM members plan to walk off the job on Sunday July 27 after the union declared talks with gold and coal mining companies had reached a deadlock.

"The bone of contention remains the issues of wages and job grading," NUM said in a statement.

The strike will affect gold producers Gold Fields, Harmony Gold Mining and South Deep, along with coal miners Ingwe, Eyesizwe, Anglocoal and Kuyasa.

Xstrata, Kangra and Afriore will be excluded from the action because NUM said they had made new offers that were significant and worth reporting to members. Union branches at those companies are to report to the national office by July 22 on how their members have reacted to the offers.

NUM is seeking a 20% across the board pay rise for its members, while the gold sector has offered an 8.5% increase and coal companies 9%.

The Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration has issued NUM a right to strike certificate.

If the action goes ahead it would be the SA industry's first nationwide strike since 1987. Published on Mining News.net on July 18.