(adds background)

JOHANNESBURG, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Three South African mineworkers died in separate accidents on Saturday, the country's biggest mining union said.

The National Union of Mineworkers said in a statement that one miner died at an Anglo Platinum <AMSJ.J> mine in Rustenburg after being pulled by a scraper and another died at an Xstrata mine <XTA.L> after a mortar exploded on him.

A third miner died at Gold Fields's <GFIJ.J> Kloof mine, the union said.

Anglo Platinum confirmed the accident and said production would continue while the company investigates the incident. The other firms could not immediately be reached for comment.

Nearly 250,000 workers will strike on Dec. 4 in a one-day protest against deaths in South Africa's mines, halting production in the world's biggest producer of gold and platinum.

NUM said on Tuesday it had been granted approval by authorities for a national strike that would be the first such protest on safety.

More than 180 South African workers have been killed this year in mine accidents, prompting a government safety audit of the country's mines. (Reporting by Gershwin Wanneburg; editing by Tony Austin)

AlertNet news is provided by