Name of the Project
South Deep gold mine expansion.

Location
Gauteng, South Africa.

Client
Gold Fields.

Project Description
The project comprises a main shaft and a ventilation shaft – collectively referred to as the Twin Shaft complex – which will have a combined hoisting capacity of 370 000 t/m of ore.

The main shaft was completed in 2004 and comprises a single drop to 2 995 m.

The ventilation shaft has been deepened from 2 760 m to about 2 950 m and is fully equipped with ore storage silos and conveyor belts at shaft bottom, a new rock winder and new headgear.

The mine’s headgear at the ventilation shaft was completed in 2011 using one of the largest fabricated steel headgear frames in the world.

The South Deep metallurgical plant, which was commissioned in November 2012, has also been expanded and has increased processing capacity from 220 000 t/m to 330 000 t/m.

From 2010 to 2012, the mine completed the construction of the bulk of its surface infrastructure, including the centralised tailings storage facility, developed and installed infrastructure around the shaft systems and changes to full plant tailings backfill for increased production levels. The backfill plant was commissioned in early 2012.

The South Shaft complex will add an additional 120 000 t/m of hoisting capacity to the mine, bringing the total hoisting capacity to 450 000 t/m.

The South Deep operation had a mineral resource of 63-million ounces as at December 31, 2016, and a mineral reserve of 34-million attributable ounces, which will give the operation a life-of-mine to about 2094.

Potential Job Creation
Most of the critical skill positions identified at the start of 2016 have now been filled, with a limited number of specialist positions unfilled as yet.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Value
An estimated R30-billion has been invested to date.

Duration
The timeline for the roll-out to steady-state production was presented to the board in February 2017.

Latest Developments
Development at South Deep increased by 34%, from 1 471 m in the June quarter to 1 965 m in the September quarter.

New mine capital development on 100 level increased by 26% from 211 m in the June quarter to 266 m in the September quarter.

New mine development is focused on infrastructure projects exclusively on 100 level and pertains to haulage extensions, crusher excavations and conveyor extensions.

Reef horizon development in the current mine areas has increased by 45% from 777 m to 1 126 m. Reef horizon development North of Wrench has increased by 19% from 483 m to 573 m. 

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Redpath (backfill piping, battrice panel installation and replacing the South Shaft steelwork); Newrack (secondary support); TWP (metallurgical plant design); AEL Mining Services (supply of explosives for blasting); Atlas Copco and Sandvik (the supply of heavy mobile equipment and spares).

Previous contractors and suppliers:
Murray & Roberts Cementation (mine development and shaft deepening); Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) and Wade Walker (tailings dam); MM&G (steelwork fabrication); Steel Services & Allied Industries, Hatch and Cadhouse Design Enterprises (ventilation shaft headgear); Howden Africa (commissioning of main surface ventilation fans); and Sarens South Africa and Crane Corporation (overhead crane for the ventilation shaft headgear).

On Budget and on Time?
The project is on budget.

Contact Details for Project Information
Gold Fields VP corporate affairs Sven Lunsche, tel +27 11 562 9763 or email sven.lunsche@goldfields.com.