27 / 68
June 2015
MODERN MINING
25
PLATINUM
at all times when they enter the Booysendal
property. “Putting the whistle on puts us in the
right safety frame of mind and enables us to
alert our colleagues and co-workers to safety-
compromising situations.”
Theron explains that Northam selected
the contract mining approach to diversify its
risk. “Our contract mining adjudication pro-
cess was based on certain criteria. Murray &
Roberts Cementation were not necessarily the
cheapest contractor, but they had – and do still
have – vast experience in mechanised mining.
This was critical in our decision-making pro-
cess.” He adds that the two companies have
established a joint relationship of openness
and fairness.
“When we initially started at Booysendal, our
primary objective was to deliver a 160 000 oz/a
UG2 mining operation and, while we are
approaching this, our objectives have evolved
and our expectations have grown. We will soon
target a monthly production rate of plus 200 000
tonnes per month which would equate to just
below 180 000 oz/a. But I believe the potential
volumes from the UG2 and Merensky mines are
closer to 250 000 oz/a within the next four to
five years,” Theron reveals. This could increase
the size of Murray & Roberts Cementation’s cur-
rent contract on site.
Northam Platinum is current underway with
a feasibility study to determine the viability of
developing and mining Booysendal’s Merensky
Reef. Murray & Roberts Cementation has also
been contracted to mine a bulk sample as part of
the study. “We are extremely positive that this
is just the start of a new mine,” says Theron.
In addition to developing a new Merensky
mine, Booysendal Division intends to increase
its overall PGM output significantly beyond
that and will do so having acquired the Everest
mine from Aquarius Platinum South Africa.
The orebody lies adjacent to Booysendal and
its infrastructure (primarily a concentrator and
equipment) will allow Northam to ramp-up
production quickly. “As an operating asset, it
also provides synergies to exploit our larger
Booysendal South and Central properties,”
Theron observes.
Everest – or Booysendal South as it is to be
re-named – has the potential (with a 230 000
to 250 000 tpm concentrator) to produce
250 000 oz/a of PGMS as well. This means that
by 2020 the Booysendal Division could be pro-
ducing 500 000 oz/a.
Following the Competition Commission’s
approval, Northam will pay R400 million
which places the full ownership of the prop-
erty, infrastructure, equipment, plant and
30 MVA power supply at Everest in its hands.
The final R50 million is payable on transfer of
the mining right to Booysendal.
“We are already assessing some of the
equipment on site and hope within the next
18 months to be generating sufficient tonnages
to validate re-starting the processing facility
which includes a chrome spiral plant which
operated for only a few months before it was
shut down,” says Theron.
Aquarius had also progressed quite far with
an opencast study on the Everest property
which Northam will continue evaluating as
part of its organic growth strategies.
Materials handling
infrastructure on surface.
“We will soon
target a monthly
production rate
of plus 200 000
tonnes per
month which
would equate
to just below
180 000 oz/a.”
Willie Theron, GM,
Booysendal