Name of the Project
Booysendal South platinum mine project.

Location
The project is located about 35 km west of Mashishing, straddling the border of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, in South Africa.

Project Owner/s
Northam Platinum.

Project Description
Booysendal South incorporates the infrastructure of Aquarius Platinum’s former Everest mine, which Northam acquired in June 2015 for R450-million.

The acquisition of Everest included a 250 000 t month concentrator, underground access and equipment, tailings storage, workshops and offices, infrastructure and access to power and water supply.

The South mine includes four mining modules:

• two upper group two (UG2) modules – BS1 and BS2;
• one Merensky, or Booysendal Central Merensky, module in the central complex; and
• an additional UG2 module in the south – BS4.

Underground workings are reached through seven on-reef declines.

In an innovative application of engineering solutions, Northam has installed an aerial rope conveyor system to transport ore over challenging regional topography. The South aerial rope conveyor system, or Ropecon, transports ore from the central portal complex to the Booysendal South concentrator, which is almost 5 km away. The conveyor has a capacity of 1 150 t/h.
 
The first phase comprises 12 tower structures, which support the conveyor. The construction of the second phase comprises seven tower support structures.

Booysendal South mine will sustain production at 250 000 oz of refined platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold, or 4E platinum-group metals (PGMs), for more than 25 years.

Potential Job Creation
Currently, while in the construction phase, Booysendal South has an estimated 1 800 people employed on a part-time basis. In the production phase at steady-state, up to 2 000 permanent jobs will be available.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
R5.6-billion.

Planned Start/End Date
Project development started in June 2016. Steady-state production is expected in 2022. 

Latest Developments
The development of Booysendal South is progressing on schedule.

At the Central UG2 mine, surface infrastructure construction is almost complete and underground development is on track.

Stoping build-up has been slightly delayed in favour of primary development, but Northam has said that this will not impact on the target date for steady state production.

The South aerial rope conveyor and the PGM circuit of the South concentrator are operating well.

Construction of the Central Merensky boxcut is almost complete and underground development will start before the end of the financial year. In addition, earthworks and civil construction have started for the North aerial rope conveyor. This installation will enable the transport of Merensky ore from the North and Central mines to the South concentrator and is scheduled to coincide with the respective stoping ramp-up profiles. [MOU2] 

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Doppelmayr Transport Technology (Ropecon) and WBHO (Phase 1 contract for the establishment of the Booysendal South central road and boxcut) DRA (engineering, procurement and construction management contractor).

On Budget and on Time?
The development of Booysendal South is progressing on budget and on schedule.

Contact Details for Project Information
R&A Strategic Communications on behalf of Northam Platinum, tel +27 11 880 3924 or email northam@rasc.co.za.