https://www.miningweekly.com
Aluminium|Construction|Efficiency|Energy|Exploration|Export|Manufacturing|Mining|Resources|Manufacturing |Products|Environmental|Operations
Aluminium|Construction|Efficiency|Energy|Exploration|Export|Manufacturing|Mining|Resources|Manufacturing |Products|Environmental|Operations
aluminium|construction|efficiency|energy|exploration|export|manufacturing|mining|resources|manufacturing-industry-term|products|environmental|operations

New fluorspar mine provides opportunity for downstream beneficiation

SOLD
Much of Nokeng’s first year of production has already been sold, mostly into the US and European markets,

SOLD Much of Nokeng’s first year of production has already been sold, mostly into the US and European markets,

Photo by Creamer Media

13th December 2019

     

Font size: - +

Mining company SepFluor’s R1.7-billion Nokeng fluorspar mine and plant at Rust de Winter, north east of Pretoria, was officially opened on August 1, as previously reported by Mining Weekly Online.

The new operation came on line as international markets for Nokeng’s two products – acid grade fluorspar and metallurgical grade fluorspar – dipped from highs in the first half of the year, while nonetheless remaining historically buoyant in a continuing supply squeeze.

China, the world’s largest fluorspar producer, cut production in response to tighter environmental regulation and as a result has moved from being a net exporter of fluorspar to a net importer.

The company entered fluorspar production as one of only three significant production newcomers over the last decade, as low pricing between 2011 and 2016 resulted in the closure of several high-cost operations internationally.

“Nokeng has 12-million tons of South African Code for the Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves-compliant reserves and an initial estimated life-of-mine of 19 years. It will initially exploit two haematite-fluorspar orebodies – Outwash Fan and Plattekop – with an option to later include Wiltin, a third and as-yet partially explored orebody.”

“The mine’s concentrator will produce around 180 000 t of acid grade fluorspar, 97% pure fluorspar and 30 000 t of metallurgical grade fluorspar annually from run-of-mine fluorspar ore production of 630 000 t,” it says.

Sepfluor adds that, openpit mining and modern plant efficiency are expected to put Nokeng in the bottom cost quartile internationally.

Much of Nokeng’s first year of production has already been sold, mostly into the US and European markets, with continuing strong demand from these markets and good prospects for additional sales into China and India.

The company is buoyed by the mention made by Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe in his recent budget speech of an R850-million allocation for a minerals beneficiation programme and subsequent support for this by Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel in his budget speech.

At the time, Sepfluor CEO Rob Wagner noted that, “we are proud to be in the vanguard, efficiently beneficiating two products from the ore we mine, which is in demand internationally”.

He added that, owing to Nokeng’s being operational and supportive of government’s Fluorochemical Expansion Initiative (FEI), Sepfluor is now focused on securing finance for its fluorochemicals facility at Ekandustria, near Bronkhorstspruit and completing the definitive feasibility study to start construction of its second mine Walmansthal.

Further, he noted that Sepfluor foresaw the Ekandustria facility beneficiating acid grade fluorspar from Nokeng and Walmansthal to produce 60 000 t/y of hydrofluoric acid.

About 41 000 t/y will be used to produce 60 000 t/y of aluminium fluoride for local and export markets.

The excess hydrofluoric acid will be used in the manufacturing of a wide range of finished products.

Wagner also pointed to the company’s pride in the positive impact the operation has had on its host community and will continue to have in the future.

About 900 fixed-term jobs were created during construction and about 200 people will be employed permanently, most of whom will be locals.

Edited by Nadine James
Features Deputy Editor

Comments

Showroom

John Thompson
John Thompson

John Thompson, the leader in energy and environmental solutions through value engineering and innovation, provides the following: design, engineer,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Schauenburg SmartMine IoT
Schauenburg SmartMine IoT

SmartMine IoT has been developed with the mining industry in mind, to provides our customers with powerful business intelligence and data modelling...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Hyphen, Eva mine, ferrochrome price make headlines
Hyphen, Eva mine, ferrochrome price make headlines
27th March 2024
Resources Watch
Resources Watch
27th March 2024

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.282 0.326s - 175pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now