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MODERN MINING
June 2016
MINING News
TSX-listed Ivanhoe Mines has hit back at
criticism it has received fromMiningWatch
Canada about its Platreef underground
mine, currently under development near
Mokopane.
In a recent release on its website,
Mining Watch Canada refers to alleged
“human rights abuses and illegal opera-
tions” by Ivanhoe and its subsidiary,
Ivanplats, and mentions in particular
the “relocation of hundreds of ancestral
Ivanhoe refutes criticism of its Platreef project
graves”in an area excluded from Ivanplats’
designated mining area.
In its response, Ivanhoe says it “con-
demns in the strongest terms possible the
attempt by MiningWatch Canada – and its
dishonest associates in South Africa – to
spread falsehoods about the Platreef mine
development project in the South African
province of Limpopo. The recycled and
false allegations made by Mining Watch
Canada are not new and have been pre-
viously rebutted by Ivanhoe Mines and
its South African subsidiary Ivanplats.
However, it is important to repeat the
company’s position for the benefit of
shareholders, the media and the public at
large.
“Ivanhoe Mines is disappointed,
although not surprised, that MiningWatch
Canada has chosen to act as a Canadian
blinkered cheerleader for the falsehoods
and misrepresentations that have been
perpetuated, and violent acts that have
been staged, by South African activist
Aubrey Langa who has previously been
convicted by South African courts of fur-
nishing false information, robbery and
attempted murder. Mr Langa is recognised
for waging what one prominent South
African newspaper recently described as
his ‘single-minded campaign’ against the
Platreef mine currently being developed
by Ivanplats in Limpopo province.”
Ivanhoe points out that Ivanplats is
26 %-owned by South African broad-
based black economic empowerment
partners – including 20 % belonging to
20 local communities with a combined
population of approximately 150 000. A
further 3 % is in the hands of historically
disadvantaged project employees with the
remaining 3 % of the 26 % being held by
local entrepreneurs.
Ivanhoe notes that Mining Watch
Canada, which it describes as an “anti-
mining organisation,” has never contacted
senior representatives of Ivanhoe Mines or
Ivanplats and sought to openly discuss any
purported concerns. It says that the organ-
isation’s news release, issued on 18 May, is
“a recitation of false allegations and unsup-
ported claims by Mr Langa and his cohorts”
and emphasises that – contrary to claims
promoted by Mining Watch – “Ivanplats
has demonstrated the utmost respect for
historical gravesites and has fully complied
with all prescriptions laid down by the rel-
evant authorities.”
Work at the Platreef site is currently
focused on the sinking of the No 1 Shaft
with the main sink due to start this month
(June)
.
Shaft 1 will provide early develop-
ment access into the deposit and will be
utilised to fast track production during
the first phase of the project. An in-depth
article on the project appeared in
Modern
Mining’s
April 2016 issue.
The Platreef site near Mokopane showing the Shaft 1 headgear (photo: Arthur Tassell).
Armadale to acquire Tanzanian graphite property
AIM-quoted Armadale has entered into a
heads of terms agreement to acquire the
Mahenge Liandu (Liandu) graphite project
in Tanzania. This investment is in line with
its strategy to build a portfolio of revenue-
generating African resource projects.
The Liandu project is located in the
Ulanga District in south-east Tanzania,
approximately 300 km south-west of
Morogoro and 10 km from the town
of Mahenge. The area is known to host
proven coarse flake, high grade graphite
resources. ASX-listed companies Kibaran
Resources and Black Rock Mining have
both identified and are developing signifi-
cant proven and valuable graphite projects
immediately adjacent to Liandu.
Armadale geologists have been on the
ground and mapped and sampled the
graphite schist. Results from seven previous
samples ranged from 12,8 % to 24,0 % Total
Graphite Content (TGC).
A mineralised trend about 1,6 km in
strike length and up to 500 m wide has
been identified, which remains open at
depth. The field work on the project will
commence following the completion of
the transaction and will target a maiden
resource estimation in late 2016.
Armadale says the transactionwill comple-
ment its current portfolio of assets, including
the Mpokoto gold project in Katanga in the
DRC, which has a resource of 678 000 oz Au
from 14,58 Mt of ore at 1,45 g/t gold.