Name of the Project
Eland mine complex.

Location
South eastern portion of the western limb of the Bushveld Complex near Brits, in South Africa’s North West province.

Project Owner/s
Northam Platinum Holdings Limited.

Project Description
Northam acquired the Eland mine from Glencore for R175-million in 2017.

The Eland mine had been on care and maintenance since 2015. Operations were restarted in 2019, following the conclusion of a feasibility study on the Kukama project, particularly the western decline system and mining section of Eland upper group two (UG2) mine. The operations comprised the development of the underground mine on a hybrid array of conventional breast stoping and mechanised ore transport using hydropower technology imported from Northam’s Zondereinde mine.

Eland hosts a shallow, UG2 orebody containing 14.43-million ounces of platinum, palladium rhodium and gold, or 4E, resources and 3.2-million ounces of mineral reserves.

Mineral resources and reserves for the Eland operation include those contained within the Maroelabult mine, which was acquired from Barplats Mines in 2020.

Maroelabult is situated immediately west of Eland, and western strike development from the Kukama decline is partly aimed at connecting with the Maroelabult decline.

This will enhance the provision of underground services, as well as the build-up of mineable reserve.

The inclusion of Maroelabult will enhance Eland mine’s ramp-up, which at steady state will produce 180 000 oz/y 4E in concentrate.

Potential Job Creation
Eland currently employs 2 200 people. At steady state in 2028, the mine will provide direct, long-term employment for more than 2 600 people.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
Total capital expenditure is estimated to reach R4.5-billion by 2028. R2.7-billion has been spent to date.

Planned Start/End Date
Mine development started in 2020. Production is forecast to reach 100 000 oz/y of 4E in the 2024 financial year and will increase to a steady state of 180 000 oz/y by the 2028 financial year.

Latest developments
Northam has reported in its 2022 Annual Integrated report that more than 1 300 m of decline development was achieved in the year to June 30, 2022.

This has allowed access to seven strike drives, which are being advanced – the project requires 11 strike drives to achieve steady-state production.

Stoping of UG2 reef is continuing in the upper western portion of the mine. To date, more than 8 900 m2 of stoping have allowed for optimisation of in-stope practices and ore handling systems.

Meanwhile, the Maroelabult mining rights were successfully transferred at the start of the second half of the 2022 financial year.

Development and stoping at Maroelabult have started and will ramp-up during the coming financial year.

Further, mine planning, incorporating Maroelabult, has also been completed and indicates a reduced lead time to steady state. This study has also included planning for open pit UG2 mining in the east of the property.

Northam has further reported that the refurbishment of the primary milling circuit of the platinum group metals concentrator has been completed. This has allowed for the treatment of run-of-mine ore sources, together with third-party surface material and retreatment of tailings from the Eland tailings storage facility.

Openpit mining of UG2 started during the first quarter of the financial year, with first ore delivered during the second quarter. Mining will ramp-up to 20 000 t a month of ore early in the coming financial year.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
R&A Strategic Communications, on behalf of Northam Platinum, tel +27 11 880 3924 or email northam@rasc.co.za.