Modern Mining August 2018

GOLD

The inaugural gold pour has taken place at the R1,7 billion Elikhulu tailings retreatment project of Pan African Resources in Evander, Mpumalanga, witnessed by several dignitaries including Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe. Once fully commissioned in September, the plant will have a steady-state production level of 55 000 ounces of gold a year. Elikhulu pours its first gold

“Elikhulu is delivering much needed new employment opportunities and is an economic boost for our local communities and for South Africa’s Mpumalanga Province. “The professional way in which the project was executed, delivering into all milestones in a safe and sustainable manner, again demon- strates our team’s ability to conceptualise, plan and complete very substantial growth projects,” he continued. “We expect Elikhulu to be a flagship opera- tion within our low-cost, long-life asset base, and we will continue to focus on improving and expanding our portfolio in a sustainable manner to the benefit of all stakeholders.” Loots said the capex of R1,7 billion was way below earlier estimates of R2,5 to R3 bil- lion. He also noted that the project had been completed in a remarkably short time of under a year and said that an Australian delegation who had recently visited Elikhulu had said that a project of this magnitude in Australia would have taken at least three years to build.

S peaking at the inaugural gold pour ceremony, Pan African Resources CEO Cobus Loots said: “The com- pletion of Elikhulu’s construction and the inaugural gold pour, ahead of schedule and in line with the project bud- get, is a further significant milestone as we deliver into our strategy of repositioning the Group as a low-cost, long-life gold producer.

Above: Cobus Loots, CEO of Pan African (photo: Pan African). Right: Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral Re- sources, addresses guests at the inaugural gold pour ceremony (photo: Arthur Tassell).

30  MODERN MINING  August 2018