Modern Mining June 2016

MINING News

Ivanhoe refutes criticism of its Platreef project

viously rebutted by Ivanhoe Mines and its South African subsidiary Ivanplats. However, it is important to repeat the company’s position for the benefit of shareholders, the media and the public at large. “Ivanhoe Mines is disappointed, although not surprised, that MiningWatch Canada has chosen to act as a Canadian blinkered cheerleader for the falsehoods and misrepresentations that have been perpetuated, and violent acts that have been staged, by South African activist Aubrey Langa who has previously been convicted by South African courts of fur- nishing false information, robbery and attempted murder. Mr Langa is recognised for waging what one prominent South African newspaper recently described as his ‘single-minded campaign’ against the Platreef mine currently being developed by Ivanplats in Limpopo province.” Ivanhoe points out that Ivanplats is 26 %-owned by South African broad- based black economic empowerment partners – including 20 % belonging to 20 local communities with a combined population of approximately 150 000. A further 3 % is in the hands of historically disadvantaged project employees with the remaining 3 % of the 26 % being held by local entrepreneurs. Ivanhoe notes that Mining Watch Canada, which it describes as an “anti- mining organisation,” has never contacted senior representatives of Ivanhoe Mines or Ivanplats and sought to openly discuss any purported concerns. It says that the organ- isation’s news release, issued on 18 May, is “a recitation of false allegations and unsup- ported claims by Mr Langa and his cohorts” and emphasises that – contrary to claims promoted by Mining Watch – “Ivanplats has demonstrated the utmost respect for historical gravesites and has fully complied with all prescriptions laid down by the rel- evant authorities.” Work at the Platreef site is currently focused on the sinking of the No 1 Shaft with the main sink due to start this month (June) . Shaft 1 will provide early develop- ment access into the deposit and will be utilised to fast track production during the first phase of the project. An in-depth article on the project appeared in Modern Mining’s April 2016 issue. 

The Platreef site near Mokopane showing the Shaft 1 headgear (photo: Arthur Tassell).

TSX-listed Ivanhoe Mines has hit back at criticism it has received fromMiningWatch Canada about its Platreef underground mine, currently under development near Mokopane. In a recent release on its website, Mining Watch Canada refers to alleged “human rights abuses and illegal opera- tions” by Ivanhoe and its subsidiary, Ivanplats, and mentions in particular the “relocation of hundreds of ancestral

graves”in an area excluded from Ivanplats’ designated mining area. In its response, Ivanhoe says it “con- demns in the strongest terms possible the attempt by MiningWatch Canada – and its dishonest associates in South Africa – to spread falsehoods about the Platreef mine development project in the South African province of Limpopo. The recycled and false allegations made by Mining Watch Canada are not new and have been pre- Armadale geologists have been on the ground and mapped and sampled the graphite schist. Results from seven previous samples ranged from 12,8 % to 24,0 % Total Graphite Content (TGC). A mineralised trend about 1,6 km in strike length and up to 500 m wide has been identified, which remains open at depth. The field work on the project will commence following the completion of the transaction and will target a maiden resource estimation in late 2016. Armadale says the transactionwill comple- ment its current portfolio of assets, including the Mpokoto gold project in Katanga in the DRC, which has a resource of 678 000 oz Au from 14,58 Mt of ore at 1,45 g/t gold. 

Armadale to acquire Tanzanian graphite property AIM-quoted Armadale has entered into a heads of terms agreement to acquire the Mahenge Liandu (Liandu) graphite project in Tanzania. This investment is in line with its strategy to build a portfolio of revenue- generating African resource projects.

The Liandu project is located in the Ulanga District in south-east Tanzania, approximately 300 km south-west of Morogoro and 10 km from the town of Mahenge. The area is known to host proven coarse flake, high grade graphite resources. ASX-listed companies Kibaran Resources and Black Rock Mining have both identified and are developing signifi- cant proven and valuable graphite projects immediately adjacent to Liandu.

4  MODERN MINING  June 2016