Modern Mining February 2018

MINING News

Bakubung ore-handling system commissioned

WorleyParsons RSA, which has reportedly designed more deep mine shafts than any other company in the world, has recently completed the first and most critical phase of Wesizwe’s R10,7 billion Bakubung Platinum Mine project near Rustenburg, with the commissioning of the main and service shafts. In addition, the commis- sioning of the ore-handling system marks a major milestone in the project’s timeline. “The most important phase in devel- oping a deep underground mine with vertical shafts is equipping and commis- sioning the shafts to hoist – and we have successfully achieved that within the required timeframe,”says Ryan Illingworth, WorleyParsons RSA’s Project Director for the Bakubung project. He adds that with shaft steelwork, rock skips andman cages installed, and the pro- duction and service shaft complete, the vital work has been done and the second phase of developing underground infra- structure can continue. The downcast production shaft, to be used for men and materials, has a hoist- ing capacity of 250 000 tonnes of ore and 15 000 tonnes of waste per month. A refrig- eration systemwill provide bulk air cooling at a later stage. The layout of the 8,5 m diameter lined production shaft accom- modates two 20-tonne skips, a two-deck cage with 12-tonne/150-man payload, a counterweight and a 20-man service cage. The 7,5 m diameter lined service shaft currently consists of a stage winder and kibble winder originally utilised for the sinking of this shaft but now being used for auxiliary hoisting of rock and materials. Other major milestones that Worley­ Parsons has achieved on this project include the construction of the main shaft

The headgear of Bakubung’s production shaft.

Blanket production continues to climb Caledonia Mining Corporation has announced record quarterly gold production from the Blanket Mine in Zimbabwe for the quar- ter ended December 31, 2017 (Q4 2017). Approximately 16 425 ounces of gold were produced during the quarter, which was 14 % higher than the figure for the previ- ous quarter which was itself a record production quarter, and 21 % higher than the corresponding quarter of 2016. Total 2017 gold production was approximately 56 135 ounces, marginally ahead of 2017 production guidance of 54 000 to 56 000 ounces. “We are very pleased to have achieved our full year production

guidance for 2017 and to have delivered a second consecutive quarterly production record at Blanket for the fourth quarter of 2017, surpassing the previous production record set in the third quarter,” says Steve Curtis, Caledonia’s CEO. “Full year production of 56 135 ounces for 2017 is a significant achievement especially when considering the relatively slow pro- duction we experienced in the first half of the year. To finish the second half of the year with two quarterly production records and the production of almost 31 000 ounces of gold in the six-month period is an achievement of which all of our technical and produc- tion staff should be justifiably proud and bodes well for the delivery of our expansion plans at Blanket as we continue to invest for the production of 80 000 ounces by 2021.” 

4  MODERN MINING  February 2018