Integrated solutions provider Tenova Mining & Minerals South Africa has been awarded the definitive feasibility study (DFS) contract for gold miner Sibanye Gold’s West Rand tailings retreatment project (WRTRP).

The WRTRP involves the construction of a large-scale central processing plant (CPP) for the recovery of gold, uranium and sulphur from the Sibanye tailings deposits and current arisings.

The CPP will be located within a 35 km radius of the West Rand tailings resources and will be developed in phases. Once completed, the plant will potentially be able to treat up to four-million tons a month of tailings and current arisings.

The recovery of uranium and sulphur will be added as the project progressed, Tenova says.

The DFS, which follows the gap phase currently under way, in which additional metallurgical testwork is being undertaken to optimise the prefeasibility study, will evaluate the feasibility of developing the CPP, with the plant designed to initially process one-million tons a month.

Tenova explains that, initially, the reclamation of tailings will use a new gold-processing module and uranium float cells, which form part of the CPP, for the extraction of gold, with the uranium concentrate to be transported to Sibanye’s Ezulwini uranium-extraction facility for the extraction.

The WRTRP is key to the Sibanye surface operation’s strategy, which involves leveraging existing surface operations and infrastructure and developing a strong, long-life and high-yield surface business by exploiting the low-risk and relatively high-margin characteristics of the surface resources located on the West Rand.

“The WRTRP is well positioned to become Sibanye’s fifth mine and also presents a valuable environmental solution for existing and future surface tailings, promoting socially and environmentally responsible deposition of tailings in a centrally managed area,” Tenova says.

WRTRP project manager Grant Stuart says the project team has been particularly impressed by the application of innovative thinking and design by Tenova.

“The alternative approach presented by Tenova creates the opportunity for the metal recovery process to differentiate itself from other surface-treatment operators. Furthermore, it also dramatically improves economics of the project through potential reductions in capital and operating costs, and the potential improvement in gold and uranium recoveries,” Stuart said.