Modern Mining June 2017

MINING News

Birrell Mining reopens Klipwal gold mine in KZN

rapid expansion. Under Briggs’s guidance, this will include the expansion of the mine and deeper level underground mining and development, as well as the recommission- ing of lower levels from July 2017 onward. Of critical importance is the operation’s management of the illegal mining activity which had plagued the safety and future viability of the Klipwal underground work- ings in recent months. “Due to the high levels of illegal activity at Klipwal, it was decided to utilise the local illegal min- ers as the main workforce and keep the sophistication of mining at very low levels. This meant many ex-illegal miners could operate safely, within our strict safety regulations and managerial control, while earning a regular income and adhering to legislative requirements around contractor employment,” says Briggs. The ex-illegal miners (zama zamas) now form co-operatives. They are contracted as legal entities by the mine to complete hand-lashing and tramming within por- tions of the mine that are rendered safe by the company. The co-operatives are trained and men- tored and remunerated based on each ton lashed and trammed to a collection point. “This method has had a profound effect on several levels. The operation reverts to mining methodologies of several years ago and the co-operatives (miners) are paid according to their production levels. Management and control is now relatively easy as the co-operatives are motivated and self-disciplined,” states Briggs. Bosveld has a long-term target pro- duction of between 12 and 15 thousand ounces of gold per annum.  across a broader area of 8245L has gener- ated strong results, with 11,75 ct (a 9,45 ct ruby and a 2,30 ct corundum) recovered from 2 726 kg of gravel (from seven manu- ally dug pits) processed through Bushman jigs, highlighting the high-grade potential of the area. Mustang reports that the commission- ing of the upgraded processing plant at Montepuez has been highly successful and processing rates are now ramping up. Given this excellent progress, Mustang says it is confident that it will achieve its targeted processing rate of 1 500 tonnes a day within weeks. 

The Klipwal gold mine is situated in the Pongola area of KwaZulu-Natal, some 70 km from the Swaziland border.

Birrell Mining International (BMI) has announced the re-opening of the recently acquired Bosveld Mining’s Klipwal gold mine in KwaZulu-Natal. BMI completed the purchase of Bosveld Mines from Stonewall Mining earlier this year, after having been responsible for the care and maintenance programme since early 2016. The transaction retains the BEE ownership structure whereby 26 % is owned by predominantly community- based BEE partners. The BMI board, under the chairmanship of Graham Briggs (former Harmony Gold CEO), approved the transaction following

in-depth reviews of resource and opera- tional potential across the mine. The mine has had an extensive operational history with substantial surface and underground infrastructure, providing a platform for both current operations and further under- ground development. BMI has completed nine months of recommissioning of the plant and several levels underground as well as bulk test work. Production began last month (May). Initial results indicate stable production at reasonable grades with good levels of recovery. An experienced management team, headed by Tony Knight, will allow which also transects the adjacent Gemfields licences. A February 2017 site visit by Mustang consultant Paul Allan confirmed that arti- sanal miners are recovering high-quality rubies from this licence area. Mustang has made a strong start to the bulk sampling at 8245L, with more than 10 000 tonnes of gravel already delivered to the Montepuez processing plant from Pit NT01. Mineralisation within the pit is shal- low with a very low strip ratio. Initial manual test pitting by Mustang

Bulk sampling starts on newMustang licence area ASX-listed Mustang Resources says it has taken another significant step in its strategy to ramp up processing at the Montepuez ruby project in Mozambique with the start of bulk sampling on the recently-acquired Licence 8245L area.

Mustang says the licence is highly strategic because it borders the existing Montepuez licence areas of Mustang on one side and the lucrative ruby project owned by London-listed Gemfields on the other. Importantly, it lies along the south- east, north-west ruby mineralisation trend,

4  MODERN MINING  June 2017