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April 2016
MODERN MINING
27
COVER STORY
particularly suitable for thick orebodies – is
well-established globally although relatively
uncommon in South Africa where narrow reefs
predominate (although it has been used in
some gold mines). “We’re absolutely confident
that it is the right method for the Flatreef and
that it will deliver the required tonnages, at low
cost and in safe conditions,” he says.
Mouton adds that the high degree of mecha-
nisation will mean that the Platreef mine will
be an ultra-safe mine. “Mechanised methods
are inherently safer than manual methods, par-
ticularly if the operators are well trained, as
ours will be,” he maintains. “In fact, our vision
is that our operators – who will be predomi-
nantly drawn from local communities – will
be multi-skilled, well-paid professionals, who
will work in air conditioned cabs in well ven-
tilated spaces. To enhance safety even further,
the mine design is such that it will minimise
all man-machine interfaces. Ivanhoe’s manage-
ment has stressed that the goal is to make the
new mine one of the safest in the world and
this objective has been prioritised in all our
planning, design and engineering.”
Despite the level of mechanisation and the
elimination of labour-intensive procedures, the
Platreef mine will be a substantial employer
even in phase one, with the projected work-
force within four years of the start of operations
expected to be in the vicinity of 2 200 people.
Says Mouton: “We are committed to employ-
ing at least 70 % of our workers locally. This
will require that we invest very heavily in
training and this process has already started
as part of our Social and Labour Plan commit-
ments. In conjunction with the Department of
Labour, we have created a database which will
be used to select candidates for training and
already we have 23 000 names on it. We’ve
also committed to building a community skills
and development and training facility in the
Mokopane area within five years – a project
which will cost around R26 million.”
Of course, building a mine the size of the
Platreef operation in an area where water
supplies are limited and in a country where
electricity supply is constrained brings with it
its own set of challenges on top of those pre-
sented by the task of creating a cutting-edge
underground mine. The mine will need up to
100 MVA of power (for the 4 Mt/a production
level) and also consume up to 10 million litres
of water per day.
“As regards to power, we have enough genset
capacity on site for the shaft sinking and we
will be receiving a permanent 5 MVA supply
from Eskom for the construction phase,” says
Mouton. “Work on the
internal electricity sub-
station for this has been
completed and construc-
tion of the powerline is in
progress. Longer-term we
are confident of getting
the electricity we need as
our startup will occur just
as the new Medupi Power
Station is reaching its full
capacity. We have already
agreed a 70 MVA bulk
supply with Eskom and
are in discussions regard-
ing the further 30 MVA
that may be required.
“With respect to water,
we will be drawing from
the Olifants River Water
Resources Development
Project, which includes
the raised Flag Boshielo
Dam and the Phase 2B
pipeline. We are also
investigating other bulk
water resources so that
we have a back-up plan
in the event that delivery
of water from the Olifants
project is delayed.”
He adds that the mine – as one would expect
– will incorporate modern technologies to
save on energy and that it will also be an eco-
nomic consumer of water, with extensive use
of recycling.
Summing up the project, Mouton says that
the construction underway at presents repre-
sents the culmination of nearly two decades
of work by Ivanhoe, which started explora-
tion work at the Platreef site in the late 1990s.
“We are pleased with the current progress on
site and are on course to produce our first con-
centrates in 2019. We also believe we have the
overwhelming support of the local communi-
ties who are excited by the employment and
business opportunities the new mine presents.
We are very aware of the need to have a social
licence to mine and the MD of Ivanplats, Dr
Patricia Makhesha, and rest of the Ivanplats
team are working ceaselessly to ensure that
the mine meets – and exceeds – the require-
ments of the Mining Charter. Overall, this is a
transformative project with the capacity, on one
level, to revolutionise platinum mining and, on
another, to benefit a huge range of stakeholders
within the Mokopane area.”
Report by Arthur Tassell, photos courtesy of Ivanplats
Model of Shaft 2 created
by Murray & Roberts
Cementation using 3D
printing technology.