The plant improvement at Two Rivers platinum mine, in Mpumalanga province, is on schedule for completion in the first quarter of 2010.

The mine is a joint venture (JV) between platinum producer Impala Platinum (Implats) and diversified mining com- pany African Rainbow Minerals. The plant improvement, which involves increased crushing and filter capacity and extra cleaner circuit cells, will result in a marginal increase to 2,8-million tons of platinum ore milled in 2010.

Coupled with further improvements in concentrator recoveries, platinum in concentrate pro-duction for next year is fore- cast at 130 000 oz, increasing to 150 000 oz by 2013.

Implats CEO David Brown says that the mine has experienced a good year, achieving its targets of production and output within a reasonable time.

Subject to obtaining the requisite Section 11 approval from the Department of Mineral Resources, Implats will sell portions four, five and six of the farm Kalkfontein, as well as the entire area covered by the Tweefontein prospecting rights, to Two Rivers in return for a further 4% equity stake. This will take Implats’ holding up to 49% in the JV.

The establishment of mining infrastructure in the area, together with the extra Kalkfontein resource, provides increased growth and flexibility opportunities for the company.

Two Rivers successfully completed its ramp-up to full production, reaching its nameplate milling capacity of 225 000 t/m in June 2007.
The mine consists of two on-reef shafts, a concentrator plant and a labour complement of 2 842, including contractors.