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 (PGMs) 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 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 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
The development of Booysendal South mine is on track.

The full complement of stoping crews is in place at the Central UG2 modules and production will reach steady state during the course of the 2024 financial year.

Decline development is continuing to increase mineable reserves and operational flexibility.

Progress of the South Merensky module is on target, with focus remaining on development of the decline system, with limited stoping in the upper mining levels.

Stoping is continuing at the BS4 UG2 module and will ramp up during the remainder of the 2023 financial year.

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.