JOHANNESBURG, Jan 29 (Reuters) - South Africa's third largest gold producer Harmony Gold said on Tuesday it had made progress in talks with unions to reopen its Kusasalethu mine that has been closed since late last year because of labour violence, threatening almost 6,000 jobs.

'We have made some progress today and we are one step closer to finding a sustainable solution to re-opening Kusasalethu. However, the mine remains closed until an agreement has been reached,' Harmony chief executive Graham Briggs said in a statement.

(Reporting by Ed Stoddard; Editing by Jon Herskovitz) Keywords: HARMONYGOLD/

(Edward.Stoddard@thomsonreuters.com)(+27 11 775 3160)(Reuters Messaging: edward.stoddard.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)

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