A spokeswoman for Lonmin's PR company says that only some 27 percent of workers returned to work Monday morning despite a warning that those on strike would face dismissal. Police shot dead dozens of striking miners near the Lonmin platinum mine in South Africa last week.

Sue Vey, spokeswoman for the Lonmin PR company Inzalo, said on Monday its unknown how many of the returning workers had taken part in the strike that began on Aug. 10.

Lonmin says 3,000 of its rock drill operations must to return to work or face dismissal. The company also urged its other 25,000 workers and 10,000 contractors, who have been away due to the violence, to return.

On Monday morning, Lonmin shares were down some 4 percent.