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
Independent integrated platinum group metals producer 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 a 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 7.8-million ounces of platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold, or 4E platinum-group metals (PGMs), according to Northam’s latest interim results for 2021, 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 PGMs 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.

Northam has said that expansion of the project is possible.

Potential Job Creation
The project is expected to create about 3 500 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 2023. 

Mechanical construction of the North aerial rope started in January 2021: the rope conveyor will be ready to start transporting ore during the 2022 financial year.

Latest Developments
Overall, Booysendal South mine is well on track, having progressed beyond the critical project phase.

Following the completion of supporting surface infrastructure, the focus at the BS1 and BS2 modules has shifted to underground development, equipping and stoping build-up.

During the financial year ended June 30, 2021, a total of 3 515 m of decline development was achieved, 916 m above plan.

Underground conveyor and tip equipping are progressing according to plan, assisting development and stoping build-up. Eleven stoping crews are currently operational, but will increase to 14 crews at steady state in 2023.

Almost 1.5-million ore tonnes were delivered to the South concentrator during the year, generating more than 110 000 oz of 4E in concentrate.

Key surface infrastructure at the Central UG2 complex servicing the BS1 and BS2 modules, including surface conveyors, crusher, South aerial rope conveyor feed system, workshops and change houses, has been commissioned and is operating within design parameters.

Development of declines at the BSM1 module is in progress. This had been postponed last year, as part of groupwide capital trimming pertaining to Covid-19. It was, however, re-instated during September 2020 and is progressing well, with 382 m developed to date.

Ore from the BSM1 module, together with that from the North Merensky module, will ultimately feed onto the North aerial rope conveyor. Construction of the BSM1 rope conveyor feed silo, enabling this, is well progressed is progressing well, and will be operational towards the end of the coming financial year.

All earthworks and civil construction of the North feed silo, drive station and towers for the North aerial rope conveyor are complete.

Mechanical construction started in January 2021 and the rope conveyor will be ready to start transporting ore during the 2022 financial year. 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 of 4E in concentrate.

Access to the BS4 module has been established.

Construction of shaft head infrastructure and the primary development of strike drives have been completed, despite temporary curtailment associated with capital trimming. This is the first phase of module development and provides through access for services between the existing North and South decline systems.

Decline development has started and is progressing well. Stoping ramp-up will start midway through the 2022 financial year and will progress to steady state of about 25 000 oz/y of 4E in concentrate during 2023.

Logistics upgrades have been completed at the South concentrator. This includes a new truck access and loading facility, which is necessary to handle PGM and chrome concentrate dispatches as South mine ramps up.

Studies to increase concentrator throughput, together with tailings handling, have been advanced and outcomes are positive for further organic growth from South mine.

Northam has tested the South concentrator capacity and has found its nameplate of 250 000 t a month to be somewhat conservative.

Meanwhile, reconfiguration of the South tailings storage facility is progressing well. This will allow for capacity for the life of South mine.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Doppelmayr Transport Technology (Ropecon); WBHO (Phase 1 contract for the establishment of the Booysendal South central road and boxcut); and 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.