Modern Mining May 2020

“The health and safety of our employees and our communities remains our first priority. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we have already taken a number of precautionary measures at all our opera- tions to curb the spread of the virus. We have all the necessary operating procedures and information memoranda in place as per the guidelines set out by the relevant authorities,” says Loots. The practices include, among others, the required information campaigns at the operations (posters, video screens, daily safety talks), social distancing, provision of sanitisers and disinfectants, regular temperature monitoring at entrances to operations, social distancing and isolation, regular disinfecting of workplaces and transport, as well as having the required medical personnel and facilities in place. “These practices continue to be enhanced as new information in fighting the pandemic is made avail- able,” concludes Loots. 

plants to incorporate a pre-oxidation methodology to enhance gold extraction successfully. The re-mining activities are also automated to a large degree, with the latest in hydro-mining technology. These factors also allow production costs to remain remarkably low. “During this difficult time, of particular advan- tage is that due to the limited number of employees employed in surface operations, and the ability to maintain social distancing and other protocols, we can operate at close to full capacity, while under- ground operations can only operate at 50%,” he says. In addition to providing economic opportunities, the reuse and retreatment of tailings dams can also enhance the environmental sustainability of the mining industry. Reprocessed tailings are typically deposed on a new site that can take advantage of modern, improved lining and containment tech- nologies, thereby mitigating the contamination and safety risks of older tailings storage facilities. Health and safety In line with the revised regulations of the Disaster Management Act, Pan African Resources has scaled operations, while maintaining the necessary health and safety standards to keep the workforce safe to help curb the spread of COVID-19. Loots tells Modern Mining that even prior to the lockdown regulations, the company developed its SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) at all its operations, implementing best practices as pro- vided by the Minerals Council of South Africa and the Department of Mineral Resources, in line with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.

Pan African Resources has designed its tailings plants to incorporate a pre-oxidation methodology to enhance gold extraction successfully.

Key takeaways  Under the stringent restrictions of the lockdown, the business of tailings reprocessing is providing the much-needed reprieve for mid-tier African- focused gold producer Pan African Resources due to the easily accessible nature of the tailings retreatments  The company is able to continue producing at approximately 70% on its surface operations, with only about 25% of its normal workforce  For the full financial year to the end of June, Pan African Resources expects almost 50% of its total gold production to come from its Barberton Tailings Retreatment Plant and the Elikhulu surface retreatment operations  The Barberton Tailings Retreatment Plant is ramping up to full production and is forecast to produce 20 000 oz. during this financial year

May 2020  MODERN MINING  15