The main shaft at platinum miner Wesizwe Platinum’s Bakubung platinum mine, in the North West, has been sunk 803 m below collar and has reached the brow of the 81 Level station, says Wesizwe Platinum GM Eddie Mohlabi.

Once the 81 Level station has been completed, the shaft will be sunk to the bottom, at the 82 Level, and will be 826 m deep, he explains.

Meanwhile, having completed the 77 Level station, the Bakubung service shaft has reached 783 m below surface, and is currently being sunk to 81 Level.

Shaft sinking started in July 2012 and both shafts will complete sinking in the last quarter of this year, Mohlabi notes.

“Completion of the shaft-sinking phase will be a significant milestone for the project, especially because Wesizwe will have overcome the risks associated with such a process.”
On completion of sinking, the main shaft will proceed to strip out the shaft-sinking services, equip the shaft with permanent steelwork and then complete Phase 1 commissioning. The permanKkoepe winders will be commissioned.

Concurrently, all the development on 69, 72, 77 and 81 levels, between the main and service shafts, will be blasted and hoisted through the service shaft.

The main and service shafts are concrete-lined, with diameters of 8.5 m and 7.5 m respectively. In terms of ventilation, both shafts are downcast shafts, Mohlabi adds.

Further, two raisebored upcast shafts, both 6.1 m in diameter, will be developed on the surface footprint of the mine.

At full production, the mine, designed for a 35-year life, will produce 250 000 t/m of platinum reef, he states.

Mohlabi highlights that mining infrastucture service provider Aveng was awarded the shaft-sinking contract, while engineering company WorleyParsons was appointed to deal with engineering, procurement and construction management, as well as management of the project on Wesizwe’s behalf.

In addition, automation technology developers ABB, Winder Control, Siemag and Siemens were appointed to complete the refurbishment of the winders previously bought in preparation for the execution of this project, he notes.

Meanwhile, various other projects lie on the horizon for the Bakubung mine, including a housing scheme, building a process plant, preparing for operational readiness and starting capital development once the main shaft has been commissioned.

“The commitment of all stakeholders in prioritising the project greatly contributed to its success . . . to date. Being able to employ local labour has assisted in improving relation- ships with the community and has shown the economic benefits of having the mine in the community,” Mohlabi concludes.