JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Production at TSX-, Aim- and JSE-listed Eastern Platinum’s (Eastplats’) Crocodile River mine (CRM) fell by 22% to 25 387 oz in the first quarter ended March, from 32 752 oz in the December quarter.

President and CEO Ian Rozier said the traditional slow start in January, combined with the introduction of revised support methods, resulted in the significant decrease in production in the first three months of 2011, while year-on-year production decreased by 17%.

“However, we are confident that the impact of this is short term and that production will return to anticipated levels,” he noted.

Early in the quarter, a comprehensive internal safety review was conducted in line with new Department of Mineral Resources general safety recommendations on roof support requirements. Following this review, support methods at CRM have been modified.

The review had also accelerated the previously planned progressive introduction of cement grout support packs into working panels, as mining operations at CRM got deeper and where support requirements were projected to increase. Rozier said these measures should further enhance safety standards at CRM.

“The increase in support standards necessitated the retraining of underground staff with a consequent temporary reduction in the number of working panels during the quarter, which impacted on mine production,” he noted.

He added that, following the decision taken early in 2010 to accelerate the development of reserves at CRM, development has increased for the fourth consecutive quarter. Concentrator recovery from run-of-mine ore for the quarter increased marginally to 79% from 78% in the quarter ended December, as a result of improved concentrator use and stability.

The increase in on-reef development had impacted slightly on the head grade delivered to the plant, decreasing to 3,93 g/t from 3,97 g/t in the previous quarter and 4,11 g/t in the previous year.

Meanwhile, development at Crocette mine was progressing, while Eastplats anticipated awarding contracts for construction for Mareesburg in the Eastern Limb shortly.

Eastplats would release its full first quarter results on May 11.
 

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