Independent, integrated primary platinum group metals (PGMs) producer Northam Platinum has officially opened Zondereinde No 3 Shaft, the world's deepest raise-bored PGMs personnel and materials shaft at 1 382 m vertical and 4.8 m in diameter.

Zondereinde is an established, conventional underground mine on the northern end of the western limb of the Bushveld Complex.

The opening of the No 3 shaft marks the completion of a major component of the mine's Western extension project and a significant investment in the long-term future of the PGM operations, supporting the extension of life-of-mine by 40 years.

The Western extension adds 3.6 km of mineable strike to the west of the existing underground operations and contains more than 20-million ounces of PGMs in the Merensky and UG2 reefs.

The shaft is designed to transport people, materials and services to the Western extension, improving access to ore reserves and easing the logistical constraints associated with servicing the extension from Zondereinde's existing shaft complex 4 km away.

Northam Platinum CEO Paul Dunne said the successful completion of the vertical raise-bored shaft demonstrated the company's engineering capability and commitment to safety.

The project comprised surface infrastructure and steelwork installation of 566 t of structural steel; 380 t in the headgear structure; 186 t in the winder house structure; 36 t of cladding installed; and 6 055 m² of cladding coverage.

“The hole in the ground was made by a machine with no people at risk. At this depth, this is the first time it has been done in South Africa.”  

Northam spent R6.3-billion to the point of commissioning, and the next phase, which includes the sinking of a rock shaft, is well under way.

“At 1 500 m, No 4 Shaft will set another world record. The refrigeration plant, designed to cool the 70 °C virgin rock temperatures and drive the hydraulic equipment, is also the single largest in the world,” Dunne highlighted, adding that the investment underlined Northam's long-term confidence in South Africa's mining industry.

“This investment, together with the No 4 Shaft investment over the next five years, is a very significant indication that we believe in our industry, we believe in our country and we believe in the metals we mine."

The expanded mining footprint is expected to support the creation of about 600 additional direct, sustainable jobs, while securing the longer-term contribution of Zondereinde to employment, procurement and economic activity in Limpopo.

“We are going to extend the life of the Zondereinde mine by 40 years. There are 12 000 employees here at Zondereinde, and this project secures their future and their children's future for many, many years to come. It is a very significant project for the group,” he said.