PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Jupiter Mines has placed its Tshipi Borwa manganese mine, in South Africa, on lockdown, while suspending manganese ore exports for a three week period, ending on April 16.
The lockdown forms part of the South African government’s 21-day nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Jupiter on Friday said that critical maintenance, security and dewatering of the pit would continue to ensure that Tshipi could be expeditiously brought back into production post the lockdown period.
The miner told shareholders that the operation had no debt, flexible contracts and sufficient cash reserves to keep the mine under care and maintenance during the lockdown, at a cost currently estimated at around R25-million.