Modern Mining January 2015

PLATINUM

area. Wesizwe, which has a range of ambitious community and labour initiatives in place, is highly focused on maximising employment opportunities for the local community during both the construction and operating phases of the project. Around 30 % of the current work- force on site is drawn from within a 50 km radius of BPM (with much of it from the com- munity of Ledig, which directly adjoins the mine property). Once the mine is in full oper- ation, it is expected that at least 70 % of the labour complement will be recruited locally. Wesizwe is listed on the JSE and is 45 % owned by Chinese interests in the form of the Jinchuan Group and China Africa Development Fund. The Chinese involvement in Africa’s mining industry has been controversial at times but Wesizwe is generally regarded as an example of a highly successful Chinese/African partnership. Certainly the Chinese involvement in Bakubung has given the project the financial resources to proceed in a constrained market which has seen other players in South Africa’s platinum mining industry cutting back on new capital investment. Photos courtesy of Wesizwe (unless otherwise acknowledged)

assembled large assemblies on the ground. A 1 100-ton crane was brought to site to lift these large assemblies with masses of up to 235 tons. The Bakubung PlatinumMine is expected to start commissioning in late 2018. Once steady state production is reached in 2021, it will employ approximately 3 130 people, provid- ing a major economic boost to an impoverished

Inside the main shaft winder house. Bakubung’s total hoisting capacity is 265 000 tonnes/month.

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36  MODERN MINING  January 2015 V14628 Voith MM Modern Mining HP DH3 JAN15.indd 1

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