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Zondereinde mine, South Africa

Inside the smelter at Zondereinde. Northam is currently expanding the existing smelter at to create capacity for output from its various growth projects.

Photo by Northam Platinum

Surface infrastructure at Northam’s western limb Zondereinde operation, with the characteristic twin headgears. In the background lies Anglo Platinums’ Amandelbult mine.

15th December 2016

By: Sheila Barradas

Creamer Media Research Coordinator & Senior Deputy Editor

  

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Name: Zondereinde mine.

Location: The mine is situated in the northern portion of the western limb of the Bushveld Complex, an estimated 30 km south of Thabazimbi, in South Africa’s Limpopo province.

Holding and Controlling Company: Northam Platinum.

Brief Description: Zondereinde is an established, long-life underground platinum-group metals (PGMs) mine, with a life-of-mine (LoM) of 30 years. Mining activities focus on the Merensky and upper group two (UG2) reefs of the upper critical zone of the Bushveld Complex. The mine produces about two-million tonnes a year, generating 280 000 oz of platinum, rhodium, palladium and gold (4E) in final concentrate.

Zondereinde’s surface infrastructure includes a Merensky and UG2 concentrator plant, along with a smelter and base metals removal plant. The smelter is currently being expanded to deal with additional volumes from Booysendal.

Brief History: Development of the Zondereinde mine started in 1986, following a five-year exploration programme. Mining initially focused on the Merensky reef, but this was followed in 2000 with an expansion into the UG2 reef. The first sales of PGMs were recorded in 1993. To access more conformable reef, management embarked on a deepening project down to 18 level. Already, work is far advanced on the development of a decline between 16 and 17 level, and, on 16 level, lateral development is progressing with crosscuts to reefs being established. The decline between 14 and 16 level is currently being equipped.

Products: 4E, chrome, nickel sulphate and copper

Geology/Mineralisation: Zondereinde mines the Merensky and the UG2 reefs, with lateral continuity well established across the Zondereinde mine lease area.

The Merensky reef comprises normal reef and regional pothole subfacies. The regional pothole subfacies is further divided into three different reef types. Reef-type changes are difficult to predict. To mitigate this risk, an extensive prospect drilling programme is in place.

The UG2 reef occurs between 20 m and 40 m below the Merensky reef and displays more consistent characteristics than those of the Merensky reef, with insignificant reef disturbances. As a result, the UG2 reef is not subdivided into different facies and is largely mined below where the Merensky reef has previously been mined.

The UG2 reef comprises three chromitite layers separated by pyroxenite, which is about 15 cm thick. The main layer is estimated to be 80 cm thick and the leaders about 20 cm.

The layers are separated by a 15-cm-thick pyroxenite layer. The grade is generally higher in the main members, but lesser in the leaders and minor in the intermediate pyroxenite.

Reserves: Proven and probable mineral reserves as at June 30, 2016, were estimated at 11.7-million ounces.

Resources: Mineral resources as at June 30, 2016, were estimated at 84.1-million ounces.

Mining Method: traditional drill-and-blast narrow tabular reef mining on a standard breast layout. The vertical interval (distance) between levels is 63 m. The orebody dips at 20°.

Major Infrastructure and Equipment: The underground workings are accessed from a twin vertical shaft system. Shaft 1 extends to 12 level and Shaft 2 serves workings down to 8 level. The shafts are 90 m apart and are interconnected at an intermediate pump chamber at 1 019 m below surface, and also on another six levels.

Ore is transported to the main shaft ore-passes using battery-powered locomotives pulling spans of eight hoppers. Broken ore is transported to a conventional shaft ore-pass system, with separate rock handling facilities for Merensky reef, UG2 reef and waste. Mining equipment, such as rock drills, roof bolters and other equipment is hydropowered, used in conjunction with electric scraper winches.

Surface infrastructure comprises two concentrator plants for Merensky and UG2 ore, a smelter and base metals removal plant. The smelter is being expanded to accommodate additional Booysendal concentrate feed.

Prospects: The 18 level deepening project has added to the LoM and the Merensky ore reserve position. More recently, in a transaction valued at R1-billion, Northam has acquired a strategic resource holding from Anglo American Platinum’s adjacent Amandelbult mine. This is a large resource on the north-western boundary of the Zondereinde mine.

This resource holds significant benefits, including:
• extending the Zondereinde economic LoM to beyond 30 years;
• providing extensive mining flexibility;
• early access to additional higher-grade Merensky and UG2 reef; and
• reducing the overall average mining depth of the Zondereinde mine, with associated potential savings; and
• reducing mining risk and enhancing long-term flexibility and optionality for Zondereinde.

Contact Person: Jan Walker. Russell & Associates on behalf of Northam Platinum, Marion Brower.

Contact Details:
Russell & Associates on behalf of Northam Platinum
tel +27 11 880 3924, and
website http://www.northam.co.za.

Edited by Tracy Hancock
Creamer Media Contributing Editor

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