TSX-listed Platinum Group Metals’ Maseve mine, in the Bushveld Igneous Complex, produced about 2 480 oz of platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold (4E) during May – the best monthly level achieved since commissioning.
However, the miner noted that ramp-up of the mine continued to be behind schedule, with further improvements required.
Delivered tonnes from Block 11 increased to almost 37 000 t, with around 50% from on-reef development to further open the block. “Development tonnes have the effect of reducing overall delivered head grade,” the company noted.
It would also continue to focus on overbreak in mechanised stopes for improvement, while company engineers are developing plans to start hybrid mining in Block 11.
This will consist of trackless development and conventional breasting as the mining method; conventional breasting allows for better grade control by reducing overbreak and off-reef mining.
Equipment availability, which had also been limiting production, has been improving and improved tramming capacity has resulted in higher delivered tonnes to the mill, owing in part to a conveyor belt completion in late May towards Block 11, reducing a 2-km trucking distance to 1 km.
Although the ounces for April – 2 256 oz – and May show increases, the overall performance on ounces produced is lower than targeted.