JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Platinum giant Royal Bafokeng Platinum (RBPlat) has terminated its contract with Shaft Sinkers for its Styldrift I project, about 5 km from Bafokeng Rasimone Platinum Mine's North shaft, in the North West.
In a statement to shareholders on Wednesday, RBPlat noted that it served formal notice to terminate the contract for all work related to the sinking and lining equipping and the commissioning of the main and services shaft, as well as all related station and off-station development at Styldrift 1.
In October, the company reported that its R11-billion expansion project was delayed by six months owing to problems with hoisting capacity. Ramp-up was expected to start in the first quarter of 2016.
“As part of the company’s ongoing risk mitigation strategy for the business, RBPlat started with a process in 2014 to contract directly, where appropriate, with all project-related suppliers and have available all critical equipment required to continue with the shaft equipping and construction,” it said in the statement.
Further, RBPlat would engage with all interested parties including Shaft Sinkers, their employees, union representatives and Aveng Mining Shafts & Underground, a division of construction company Aveng Africa, which was appointed in September 2013 as mining contractor for the ramp-up of the Styldrift I project, to identify and implement mechanisms required to secure the continued services of the employees on site and reduce the impact on the project.