Name and Location
Volspruit platinum group and base metals project, Limpopo, South Africa.

Client
Sylvania Resources.

Project Description
The Volspruit project covers two adjacent orebodies – Volspruit 326 KR and a portion of Zoetveld 294 KR – that will be mined for platinum-group metals (PGMs) and other base metals, such as copper and nickel, using two opencast pits.

The project has measured resources of 1.1-million ounces of PGMs, 87.8-million pounds of nickel and 25.5-million pounds of copper.

At full production, Volspruit is planned to feed three 100 000 t/m capacity plants.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Value
Not stated.

Duration
Not stated.

Latest Developments
Sylvania has clarified that the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) has asked for additional information regarding the company’s final environmental-impact assessment (EIA).

AfriForum previously reported that the LEDET had rejected the final EIA, which Sylvania has denied, claiming that it has until July 19 to submit an amended EIA.

In May this year, the LEDET formally requested clarification on matters related to the project’s water consumption and that additional work on the EIA be done to include a biodiversity and wetland offset strategy to address any potential loss of flora and fauna species or potential damage to the wetland located near the northern mining pit perimeter.

“Such an offset strategy is accepted mitigation against the risk of potential loss of classified sensitive biodiversity in terms of environmental legislation and is generally done only at the specific request of the LEDET,” the company has noted.

Sylvania has explained that the EIA practitioner has released a statement to interested and affected parties detailing the latest correspondence received from the LEDET, and that meetings will be held to confirm further actions by Sylvania to address concerns and submit an amended EIA.

“We will be ready to submit the required clarification and a suitable offset strategy for consideration by the LEDET prior to the [deadline],” the company has stated.

Sylvania remains optimistic that the EIA will be accepted, as the detailed environmental-impact study – the culmination of about four years’ effort by a considerable team of specialists – has not found any fatal flaws in the proposed project.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
None stated.

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Sylvania Resources, tel +27 11 673 1171, fax +27 11 673 0365 or email info@sylvania.co.za.