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September 2015
MODERN MINING
7
MINING News
In its review of operations for the second
quarter of 2015, TSX-listed Ivanhoe Mines,
which is developing the Platreef project
near Mokopane on the Northern Limb
of the Bushveld Complex, says that com-
missioning is underway for the pre-sink
winder that will be used to sink Platreef’s
Shaft 1 to a depth of approximately 60 m
below surface. It also reports that (as of
12 August), construction of the founda-
tions for the large winding equipment
needed to sink the shaft below 60 m were
almost complete.
Other work on site includes the con-
struction of the primary terraces for Shaft 1
and the stormwater pond. A total of 73 %
of the 611 permanent and contract work-
ers presently employed by the company
are from the local area.
The Platreef project is 64 %-owned by
Ivanhoe through its subsidiary, Ivanplats,
and 10 %-owned by a Japanese con-
sortium of ITOCHU Corporation and its
affiliate, ITC Platinum; Japan Oil, Gas and
Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC);
and Japan Gas Corporation. The remaining
26 % interest is held by B-BBEE partners,
who include communities, employees and
entrepreneurs.
Since 2007, Ivanhoe has focused its
exploration activities on defining and
advancing the down-dip extension of its
original Platreef discovery, now known as
the Flatreef deposit, which is viewed as
being amenable to highly mechanised,
underground mining methods.
Ivanhoe completed a Pre-Feasibility
Study (PFS) in January 2015 that covered
the first phase of development that is
expected to include construction of an
underground mine, concentrator and
other associated infrastructure to support
initial concentrate production by 2019.
The shaft-sinking contractor for
Shaft 1 – which will be used to extract a
mineralised bulk sample for metallurgi-
cal testing from the 800-m level of the
Flatreef deposit – is Aveng Mining. The
shaft will have an internal diameter of
7,25 m and is projected to reach a total
depth of 975 m in 2018. Aveng Mining is
also responsible for the excavation of the
boxcut access for the shaft collar and vent
plenum. The fabrication of the temporary,
sinking headframe and centre tower is
well underway.
The mine’s main production shaft,
Shaft 2, will have an internal diameter of
10,0 m and will be capable of hoisting
6 Mt/a. Ivanhoe awarded the contract for
the design and engineering of Shaft 2 to
Murray & Roberts Cementation in June
2014. The boxcut designs are complete
and the contract for the early engineering
works for the winding equipment has been
awarded to FLSmidth.
Hatch Goba to conduct
studies on potash projects
ASX-listed Elemental Minerals has appointed
Hatch Goba (Hatch) to conduct the Bankable
Feasibility Study (BFS) at its Kola sylvinite
project and the Pre Feasibility Study (PFS)
at its Dougou carnallite project. Kola and
Dougou are high grade and large potash
deposits within Elemental’s Sintoukola
Permit in the Republic of Congo (RoC). In
addition, the company says it is continuing
to advance its discussions with potential
strategic partners and is now at term sheet
stage with some of these.
The Kola BFS is planned for completion in
Q3 2016, with the start of construction fore-
seen in Q2 2017. The Dougou PFS and ESIA
are both scheduled to be completed in Q2
2016.
Elemental’s CEO, John Sanders, com-
mented: “The commencement of the BFS
at Kola, our flagship project, marks the final
phase of project development for the com-
pany before construction, and is a major
milestone achieved in what is clearly a dif-
ficult macro economic environment.
“We are delighted to have selected Hatch
as our lead consultants for our projects,
especially as they have a formidable track
record in the design and construction of pot-
ash mining and infrastructure projects. Their
comprehensive experience in the implemen-
tation of both potash projects and African
pit-to-port mining projects should assist
the company to ensure that the studies are
prepared to the highest quality from a bank-
able perspective. Fieldwork for the Kola and
Dougou studies has also started.
“We expect the BFS for Kola to further high-
light the exceptional quality of this sylvinite
project and its ability to support very attractive
returns on investment and an operating cost
that is unparalleled, underpinned by the qual-
ity, shallow depth and location of the deposit.
Similarly, we anticipate excellent results from
the PFS for Dougou, taking advantage of the
low gas price in the RoC and the suitability of
this deposit to solution mining.
“Kola and Dougou are planned to pro-
duce a combined total of 3,2 Mt/a in the long
term and should be the leading projects in
an emerging and important potash province.
In addition, we are progressing our strategic
partnership discussions with various entities
for off-take and sizeable investments.”
Shaft 1 winder ready for commissioning (photo: Ivanhoe).
Platreef ’s presink winder commissions