Modern Mining May 2015

MINING News

The ongoing search for additional reserve ounces at Kibali in the north-east- ern DRC will secure its future as a long-life mine and one of Africa’s largest gold producers, says Randgold Resources Chief Executive Mark Bristow. Randgold is the developer and operator of the mine, which it owns in partnership with AngloGold Ashanti and the Congolese parastatal SOKIMO. In 2014, its first full year of operation, Kibali produced 526 627 ounces of gold at a total cash cost of US$573/oz and Bristow told a recent media briefing in Kinshasa that production and cost for the first quarter of 2015 were likely to be within guidance. “When you’re producing gold at the rate of around 600 000 ounces per year, the need to replace the reserves that are consumed is of critical impor- tance,” he said. “We believe Kibali’s KZ structure hosts significant additional resources, and our continuing exploration is confirming this potential. A num- ber of targets have been identified and the Kalimva-Ikamva and Kanga sud targets have been prioritised for in-depth investigation.” Kibali is still a work in progress, with its third open pit now operational and the development of its underground mine ahead of schedule. Ore from its stopes is already being delivered to the plant but the underground mine is only expected to be in full production by 2018. The first of the mine’s three hydropower plants was commissioned last year and work on the second is well underway. The metallurgical plant is operating at its design capacity and construction of the paste plant is nearing completion. Despite the high level of production and development activity, some 5 000 people are employed on site. Kibali is maintaining a good safety record, with the lost-time injury rate reduced by 16 % last year. Kibali represents an initial investment of more than US$2 billion and, at a gold price of US$1 200/oz and its current mine plan, is only expected to repay its funding after 2024. Thanks to its strong cash flow, however, it has already been able to repay the first tranche of its debt in March. Bristow said Kibali was continuing to invest in the development of the regional economy by using local contractors and suppliers wherever possible.  One-year old Kibali gold mine already looks to its future ELB awarded the Black Rock RTLS project ELB Engineering Services reports it has been awarded the Rapid Train Loading Station (RTLS) for the Nchwaning manganese mine, which is part of the Black Rock Mine Operations (BRMO) operated by Assmang, which is jointly owned by Assore and African Rainbow Minerals. The sur- face scope of the project will be managed by DRA Mineral Projects. BRMO produces between three and four million tonnes of manga- nese a year from underground mining and is situated in Northern Cape Province, approximately 80 km north-west of the town of Kuruman. ELB has been contracted to design, engineer, supply, deliver, install and commission the RTLS and a 518 m feed conveyor for the Black Rock project. The RTLS has been sized to accommodate the filling of a 104‑wagon export rake in two hours. The RTLS feed conveyor will be able to accommodate a maximum sustained feed capacity of 5 500 t/h with a nominal feed capacity of 4 200 t/h. “ELB has over a number of years developed significant experience and capabilities in the fields of materials handling from Rapid Train Loading Stations through to port terminals. An example is the RTLS at Khumani that was commissioned in 2011 and is considered to be state of the art and a leader in its field worldwide,”says ELB’s General Manager – Business Development, Tony Pinto. 

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