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Booysendal South platinum mine project, South Africa – update

2nd October 2020

By: Sheila Barradas

Creamer Media Research Coordinator & Senior Deputy Editor

     

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Name of the Project
Booysendal South platinum mine project.

Location
The project is located about 35 km west of Mashishing, straddling the border of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, in South Africa.

Project Owner/s
Northam Platinum.

Project Description
Booysendal South incorporates the infrastructure of Aquarius Platinum’s former Everest mine, which Northam acquired in June 2015 for R450-million.

The acquisition of Everest included a 250 000 t month concentrator, underground access and equipment, tailings storage, workshops and offices, infrastructure and access to power and water supply.

The South mine includes four mining modules:

  • two upper group two (UG2) modules – BS1 and BS2;
  • an additional UG2 module in the south – BS4; and
  • one Merensky, or Booysendal Central Merensky, module in the central complex.

Underground workings are reached through seven on-reef declines.

The current plan unlocks mineral reserves of 8.2-million ounces of platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold, or 4E platinum-group metals (PGMs), mineable for about 30 years.

Further, from the 2023 financial year, the combined modules will produce 250 000 oz 4E in concentrate, doubling Booysendal’s current overall platinum group metals production.

In an innovative application of engineering solutions, Northam has installed an aerial rope conveyor system to transport ore over challenging regional topography. The South aerial rope conveyor system, or Ropecon, transports ore from the central portal complex to the Booysendal South concentrator, which is almost 5 km away. The conveyor has a capacity of 1 150 t/h.
 
The first phase comprises 12 tower structures, which support the conveyor. The construction of the second phase comprises seven tower support structures.

Booysendal South mine will sustain production at 250 000 oz of refined platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold, or 4E PGMs, for more than 25 years.

Potential Job Creation
The project is expected to create about 5 500 long-term jobs and benefit local and national economies.


Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
R5.6-billion.

Planned Start/End Date
Project development started in June 2016. Steady-state production is expected in 2022. 

Latest Developments
Northam Platinum has reported in its Integrated Annual Report for the year ended June 30, 2020, that development has shifted to underground development, equipping and stoping build-up at the BSU1 and BSU2 UG2 modules of the Central UG2 Complex.

Decline development reached 2 533 m in the 2020 financial year. This is 98 m below plan, which is satisfactory, given the Covid-19 lockdown delays. The company reports that underground conveyor and tip equipping is progressing on schedule, which is assisting development and stoping build-up. Six stoping crews are operational. This will increase to ten stoping crews by the end of the 2021 financial year and 16 stoping crews at steady state in the 2023 financial year.

Surface infrastructure at the Central UG2 Complex is nearing completion. Key infrastructure, including surface conveyors, a crusher, the South aerial rope conveyor feed system, workshops and change houses, have been commissioned and  are operating within design parameters. Final infrastructure, comprising shaft offices and the 132 kV substation, were expected to be completed in August 2020.

The boxcut for the Central Merensky module is ready for the development of the decline portals. The development of the portals has been deferred as part of group-wide capital trimming. Ore from the Central Merensky module, together with that of the North Merensky module, will ultimately feed into the North aerial rope conveyor. Earthworks and civil construction for the Central Merensky rope conveyor feed silo will continue in 2021.

Earthworks and civil construction of the North Merensky feed silo, drive station and towers for the North aerial rope conveyor are well advanced. Most tower bases are complete, while the drive station and North feed silo are expected to be ready in time for mechanical construction. This will start in January 2021, with the rope conveyor transporting ore from December 2021.

Ore from the North Merensky module will then be transported to the South concentrator, permitting the Phase 2 ramp-up of North Merensky to about 50 000 oz/y 4E.

Meanwhile, access to the BSU4 module has been established. The construction of shaft head infrastructure has been completed and the primary development of strike drives has started. This is the first phase of the module development and will provide through access for services between the existing North and South decline systems. This access will be completed during the coming year, following which, stoping ramp-up will progress to a steady state of about 25 000 oz/y 4E by the 2023 financial year.

Concentrate handling and logistics upgrades have been progressing at the South concentrator. A new truck access and loading facility is nearing completion. This is necessary to handle PGM and chrome concentrate dispatches as mining ramps up. Studies pertaining to increasing concentrator throughput, together with tailings handling, have been advanced and outcomes are positive for further organic growth from the Booysendal South mine.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Doppelmayr Transport Technology (Ropecon) and WBHO (Phase 1 contract for the establishment of the Booysendal South central road and boxcut) DRA (engineering, procurement and construction management contractor).

Contact Details for Project Information
R&A Strategic Communications on behalf of Northam Platinum, tel +27 11 880 3924 or email northam@rasc.co.za.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

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