Modern Mining January 2023

of contained gold, Blyvoor could add an estimated 25 000 to 30 000 ounces per annum of gold pro duction for 15 years. Beyond these, Pan African also has organic growth opportunities at its Evander underground mine’s Shaft 8, with plans to mine the down dip extent of the Evander orebody at 24, 25 and 26 levels and at its Barberton Mine’s Royal Sheba orebody. 

containing an estimated gold content of 1.2 million oz of gold. This is a similar grade and recovery to that of the Mogale Gold TSFs. The conceptual model indicates that the Soweto Cluster has the potential to add an average of 11 000 ounces per annum between years 6-13 and an aver age of 54 000 ounces per annum between years 14-16, when the Mogale Gold resources are depleted. Additional gold production growth projects Apart from the production growth to be realised from the Mintails assets, Pan African has several addi tional growth projects on its horizon. In December 2021, Pan African secured the right to another surface gold tailings resource – the Blyvoor surface gold tailings, on which the company is underway with an independent fatal flaw assess ment and gap analysis. If the company chooses to proceed with the acquisition and future development of the Blyvoor asset, which comprises six historical TSFs with total mineral resources of more than 1.4 million ounces

The surface dams will be subject to low-cost hydro mining to reclaim the tailings material.

Following the success of the 10 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant at Elikhulu, commissioned in May 2022, Pan African has completed a feasibility study for a 12 MW extension to this facility. The PV plant at Elikhulu is also the first grid compliant plant of its scale in South Africa. The company has begun site establishment for an 8 MW solar PV plant at Barberton Mines and plans to investigate the merits of a solar renewable energy plant at the Mogale Gold project. The solar PV plant at Evander Gold Mines will provide an estimated 30% of Elikhulu’s power requirement, materially reduce electricity costs, and is expected to reduce CO 2 emissions by some 26,000 tons per annum – contributing to an estimated 5% reduction in group-wide emissions. With a combined 30 MW planned to come on stream in the near term (by 2024), these benefits will increase three-fold.

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January 2023  MODERN MINING  41