JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Integrated solutions provider Tenova Mining & Minerals South Africa has been awarded the definitive feasibility study (DFS) contract for gold miner Sibanye Gold’s West Rand tailings retreatment project (WRTRP).

The WRTRP involved the construction of a large-scale central processing plant (CPP) for the recovery of gold, uranium and sulphur from the Sibanye tailings deposits and current arisings.

The CPP would be located within a 35 km radius of the West Rand tailings resources and would be developed in phases. Once completed, the plant would potentially be able to treat up to four-million tons a month of tailings and current arisings.

The recovery of uranium and sulphur would be added as the project progressed, Tenova said.

The DFS, which followed the gap phase currently under way in which additional metallurgical testwork was being undertaken to optimise the prefeasibility study, would evaluate the feasibility of developing the CPP, with the plant designed to initially process one-million tons a month.

Tenova explained that, initially, the reclamation of tailings would use a new gold-processing module and uranium float cells, which formed a part of the CPP, for the extraction of gold, with the uranium concentrate to be transported to Sibanye’s Ezulwini uranium-extraction facility for the extraction.

The WRTRP was key to the Sibanye surface operation’s strategy, which involved leveraging existing surface operations and infrastructure and developing a strong, long-life and high-yield surface business, by exploiting the low-risk and relatively high-margin characteristics of the surface resources located on the West Rand.

“The WRTRP is well positioned to become Sibanye’s fifth mine and also presents a valuable environmental solution for existing and future surface tailings, promoting socially and environmentally responsible deposition of tailings in a centrally managed area,” Tenova said. 

In awarding the DFS, WRTRP project manager Grant Stuart said the project team had been particularly impressed by the application of innovative thinking and design by Tenova.

“The alternative approach presented by Tenova creates the opportunity for the metal recovery process to differentiate itself from other surface-treatment operators. Furthermore, it also dramatically improves economics of the project through potential reductions in capital and operating costs, and the potential improvement in gold and uranium recoveries,” Stuart said.