Photo by: Dylan Slater
AGGENEYS (miningweekly.com) – In the lead-up to achieving its production target of 600 000 t/y, diversified miner Vedanta's Northern Cape-based Gamsberg zinc mine is ready to launch Phase 1.
After having been in development for three years by Vedanta's Zinc International division, the $400-million Gamsberg development forms part of Vedanta's long-term commitment to the development of the Northern Cape.
In Phase 1, four-million tonnes a year of ore will be produced from Gamsberg's openpit and 250 000 t/y of zinc in metal concentrate from its concentrator plant.
Phase 2 will see a further investment of between $350-million and $400-million to increase ore mined to eight-million tonnes a year and production of zinc-in-concentrate to 450 000 t/y.
Phase 3, which is expected to start in 2025, will see this increase to 600 000 t/y.
Thus far, 72-million tons of overburden has been pre-stripped.
Gamsberg, which has the potential to trigger a new wave of industrial and economic development in the Northern Cape, has employed more than 3 000 people during construction over the last two years.
For the operational phase, around 750 people are already employed.