Name and Location
Cullinan C-Cut expansion programme, Gauteng, South Africa.

Client
Petra Diamonds (74%), Thembinkosi Mining Investments (14%) and the Petra Diamonds Employee Share Trust (12%).

Project Description
The Cullinan mine contains a world-class resource base of 202.1-million carats, including 16.5-million carats in tailings, and Petra plans to capitalise on this by undertaking an expansion programme to take production to 2.4-million carats a year.

The expansion plan will establish a new block cave on the western side of the orebody, in the upper portion of the major C-Cut resource, which is estimated to contain 133-million carats.

The plan also includes a large tailings operation.

Value
Not stated.

Duration
The plan is to take production from one-million carats in 2011 to 2.4-million carats by 2019.

Latest Developments
The C-Cut development project is on track and the shaft-deepening contractor, Murray & Roberts Cementation, has begun work on site.

Petra has advanced the South decline to access the new production levels and work on the North decline has started. The additional decline has the potential to fast-track the kimberlite development of the new block cave and the subsequent production build-up.

The tailings operation at Cullinan is ramping up to treat the 165-million-ton tailings deposit. The commissioning of the new tailings plant has started, with the recrush section to follow later this year.

Petra plans to treat 2.7-million tons in 2013, gradually increasing to about four-million tons from 2015 – a year later than originally scheduled, owing to the later introduction of the recrush circuit.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Murray & Roberts Cementation (deepening of Shaft 1 and Shaft 3, as well as associated infrastructure and planned level development) and ABB (upgrade of the Koepe winder and ropes).

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Petra Diamonds, tel +27 11 702 6900, fax +27 11 706 3071 or email info@petradiamonds.com.
Murray & Roberts Cementation, tel +27 11 201 5000.
ABB (South Africa), tel +27 10 202 5000 or fax +27 11 579 8000.