Modern Mining December 2023

MINING News

ERG to build a cobalt beneficiation facility in the DRC

of 2024 and cobalt hydroxide should be provided from ERG’s DRC-based Metalkol, one of the world’s largest producers for the battery industry, and one of the largest sup pliers of cobalt to China. ERG further develops its portfolio of assets, both in the DRC and globally, to produce high quality materials for the li-ion battery sector. At Metalkol, ERG’s flagship operation, the Group has expanded the production capacity ten-fold in the last four years. ERG is also developing its another key asset in the DRC, COMIDE, which has some of the world’s largest known copper and cobalt resources. In this vein, the cobalt beneficiation facility, which ERG is building up with BGRIMM, provides an important addition to its portfolio of assets producing key battery materials as it should deliver high purity cobalt hydroxide tailored for the battery market. It should also further strengthen the Group’s position as a strategic supplier of traceable materials for the electric vehicle industry. 

Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), a diver sified natural resources group, recently signed an agreement with China’s BGRIMM Technology Group, an institute in mineral

and material industries worldwide, in relation to the cobalt beneficiation facility, which ERG is building in the DRC. The production facility is planned to be commissioned by the end

ERG’s flagship operation, Metalkol, in the DRC.

Test-work at Bengwenyama establishes mine design parameters

ASX-listed Southern Palladium geotechnical study conducted on the UG2 reef at the Bengwenyama Platinum Group Metal (PGM) project has yielded promising results. The project is situated on the Eastern Limb of the Bushveld Complex in South Africa. Managing Director, Johan Odendaal said: “We are pleased to report the findings of the geotechnical pre-feasibility study con ducted by the independent consulting firm, OHMS. The study has yielded promising results, confirming the viability of both conven tional and mechanised underground mining from a geotechnical perspective. The study’s conclusions are reassuring. It indicates that mining operations at depths exceeding 50 metres under

ground do not pose a threat to surface infrastructure. Our proposed conventional stope layout is estimated to result in a mining extrac tion rate ranging from 91% near surface to 78%, contingent upon the depth below the surface. In the case of the mechanised mining layout (bord and pillar), we anticipate achieving an extraction rate of 82% near surface to 67%. It is also worth highlighting that our consultants have noted the absence of chromite stringers in the hanging wall of the UG2. Due to the absence of these stringers, which in other Bushveld operations can lead to dilution, we antici pate a potential minimum stope width of approximately 1 metre, based on an average UG2 reef width of about 70 cm.” 

Southern Palladium’s geotechnical study conducted at the Bengwenyama project has yielded promising results.

6  MODERN MINING  December 2023