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February 2016
MODERN MINING
23
PLATINUM
Above:
Willie Theron
(left), GM of Booysendal,
with Braam Blom, Project
Executive, Murray & Roberts
Cementation (photo: Arthur
Tassell).
Left:
The Booysendal mine
is situated in mountainous
surroundings approximately
86 kmwest by road of
Mashishing (previously
Lydenburg).
Below:
A twin boom
Sandvik rig at work in the
UG2 North mine.
mechanised
UG2 North mine to the narrower Merensky reef.
The conventional wisdom is that the Merensky
horizon is best mined conventionally but we
believe that mechanisation will work and that
its advantages – notably a higher production
rate – will outweigh negatives such as increased
ore dilution.
“Should the trial mining be successful, we
envisage the Merensky North mine produc-
ing 75 000 kt/month at steady state spanning a
build up period of four years. The combination
of the Merensky and UG2 North mines would
allow Booysendal to produce up to 250 000 4E
PGM ounces a year.”
Theron adds that this figure could eventually
undertaking trial mining to see if we can suc-
cessfully apply the same mechanised mining
methods and equipment that we’re using in the