Modern Mining January 2025

ADVERTORIAL TOP PROJECTS

Wetland rehabilitation as at February 2024.

Processing plant CIL tanks.

operations in 2022. In July 2024, the company also commissioned an 8.75MW solar renewable energy plant at its Barberton operations. Combined, these plants result in cost savings of some R10 million a month, at current Eskom tariffs, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 20 000 t of CO 2 e/year. The company’s strong focus in adopting renewable energy options sees the gold miner busy with a feasibility study for the development of a 20 to 25-megawatt solar power plant for its MTR operation. “This plant is expected to supply roughly 50% of the operation's required power needs, which will reduce pressure on the grid. Implementing renewable energy options is a huge strategic focus, which allows us to achieve further cost savings, reduce emissions and have a lower impact on the environment. The intention is to obtain 50% of our power requirements from renewable energy sources by 2030, which will also improve our overall cost of production in future,” concludes Hira. n

positive feedback from the communities in the area, with whom we engage on a regular basis,” explains Hira. The reprocessing of the massive mounds of tailings dumps is having a positive impact on the landscape and by ensuring that the associated dust – a nuisance that has for a long time negatively impacted those living in close proximity – is being addressed. “The value of retreating gold dumps is immense not only for the added revenue and profitability to shareholders, but also to the benefit of other stakeholders in the area, in terms of employment, improving the environment (air and water quality), infrastructure developments and in making additional land available for other economic uses, such as housing developments and agriculture projects, amongst others.” Going clean and green remains a key focus for PAR - one of the first mining companies to make the jump to solar power, commissioning a 10-megawatt solar power plant at its Evander

36  MODERN MINING  www.modernminingmagazine.co.za | JANUARY 2025