Name of Project
Gamsberg mine and plant.
Location
Gamsberg, near Aggeneys, Northern Cape, South Africa.
Project Owner/s
Vedanta Zinc International (VZI) is a grouping of zinc assets located mainly in South Africa and Namibia, owned by India-based Vedanta Resources.
Operations include:
- Black Mountain Mining (BMM) and the associated flagship Gamsberg project; in South Africa;
- the Skorpion Zinc mine and refinery, in the //Karas region of Namibia; and
- the Lisheen mine, in Ireland, currently in active closure mode, with mining and milling concluded in December 2015 after 17 years of operation.
VZI aims to create an integrated world-class regional zinc complex comprising BMM (including Gamsberg) and the Skorpion Zinc mining and refining operations.
Project Description
Gamsberg, one of the largest greenfield mining projects in Africa, is being developed on one of the world’s largest known, but as yet undeveloped, zinc deposits.
The project’s current reserve and resource is 214-million tonnes, with a grade of between 6% and 6.5%, and an estimated life-of-mine (LoM) of 30 years.
Phase 1 has an LoM of 13 years and will result in four-million tonnes a year of ore produced from the openpit and 250 000 t/y of concentrate from its concentrator plant.
Studies into Phase 2 and 3 are under way and will result in increasing the ore mined to eight-million tonnes a year and the production of zinc-in-concentrate to 450 000 t/y and, ultimately, to 600 000 t/y.
Potential Job Creation
More than 3 000 people were employed during the construction of Phase 1 – more than half of whom were recruited from the Northern Cape, with more than 25% from local communities. When in full production, Gamsberg will employ 800 to 850 people.
Capital Expenditure
Phase 1 of Gamsberg is valued at $400-million.
Phase 2 is estimated at between $350-million and $400-million.
Planned Start /End Date
Vedanta approved the project in 2014, and the first blast occurred in mid-2015. Phase 1 was officially inaugurated in February 2019.
Latest Developments
President Cyril Ramaphosa presided over the official inauguration of the first phase of the Gamsberg project on February 28, 2019.
The project is now ramping up to its target capacity of 250 000 t.
Vedanta appointed Pieter Van Greunen as the new Gamsberg GM in August 2019.
Key Contracts and Suppliers
Aveng Moolmans (bulk mining); ELB Group (concentrator and associated infrastructure); Liviero Civils (tailings dam); Zest WEG Group, including Shaw Controls (upgrade of municipal supply station providing water for the mine and zinc concentration plant).
On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.
Contact Details for Project Information
R&A Strategic Communications, Charmane Russell or Marika Muller, tel +27 11 880 3924 email charmane@rasc.co.za or marika@rasc.co.za.