Modern Mining November 2018

November 2018 Vol 14 No 11 www.crown.co.za M ODERN MINING IN THIS ISSUE…  Canyon launches Khanye

 Sissingué mine plan updated  Positive PFS on Malingunde

MODERN M I N I N G

CONTENTS

NOVEMBER 2018

ARTICLES

COVER 18 WorleyParsons RSA services mining projects worldwide COAL 22 Canyon launches its fifth mine GOLD 26 Sissingué mine plan updated GRAPHITE 28 PFS reveals compelling case for Malingunde FEATURE: CONSULTANTS/PROJECT HOUSES 32 Agile Bara remains busy despite mining downturn 39 Still a buyer’s market for project developers, says SRK 42 Lycopodium to build another West African gold project REGULARS MINING NEWS 4 Roxgold advances new mine at Yaramoko 5 Kibali posts record results for latest quarter 6 Acacia’s quarterly production exceeds expectations 7 Exploitation Permit opens the way for Baobab expansion 8 Ity CIL project tracking two months early 9 High-tech training centre opened 10 Kom-Vision technology introduced at Mogalakwena 11 Contract for strip mining services extended 13 Ivanhoe makes“significant progress”at Kipushi 14 Contractor appointed for bulk sampling at Thorny River 15 DFS on uranium project progressing on multiple fronts 16 US$375 million Obuasi mining contract signed 17 Mothae diamond plant now commissioning PRODUCT NEWS 44 I-CAT devises ‘bespoke’dust-suppression system 45 DebTech XRT ore sorters installed at Jwaneng 46 BME supports Zambia’s success in copper and more 47 ‘Intelligent’truck for underground operations 48 Breakthrough in copper recoveries 48 Gravity sampler from eDART is an industry ‘first’ 49 Strong demand in Africa for tankhouse cranes 50 Weir expands Cavex® footprint in Africa 51 New generation 3D platform introduced by Maptek 52 SlurrySucker relieves silting at chrome operation

Editor Arthur Tassell Advertising Manager Bennie Venter e-mail: benniev@crown.co.za Design & Layout

Darryl James Circulation Brenda Grossmann Publisher Karen Grant

13

Deputy Publisher Wilhelm du Plessis Printed by: Shumani Mills Communications

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher.

Published monthly by: Crown Publications cc P O Box 140, Bedfordview, 2008

18

Tel: (+27 11) 622-4770 Fax: (+27 11) 615-6108 e-mail: mining@crown.co.za www.modernminingmagazine.co.za

22

Cover The headgears of the Venetia Underground Project (VUP) of De Beers in Limpopo Province, South Africa. WorleyParsons RSA – whose activities are featured on page 18 of this issue – is the EPCM contractor for the VUP.

26

Average circulation (July–September 2018) 5072

28

November 2018  MODERN MINING  1

COMMENT

Syama to spearhead the drive to mining automation

O ne of the most exciting stories in mining globally at the moment – although perhaps not quite as well publicised as it should be – is the development of what is be- ing touted as the world’s first “customised ful- ly automated underground mine”, to quote the words of John Welborn, MD and CEO of Aus- tralia’s Resolute Mining. The mine in question, of course, is Syama in Mali, now transitioning into an underground operation, and Resolute is the owner. Automation has had a rocky history in mining, with the high hopes attached to its implementation in working mines having so often been dashed in the past. The entire industry will therefore be watching the Syama ‘experiment’ with great interest. If it is success- ful, Syama will emerge as the flag-bearer for a new 21st century approach to mining. There are, of course, a number of mining operations that already have a high degree of automation. Here in South Africa, we have the Finsch diamond mine, where De Beers put in driverless trucks well over a decade ago when it still owned the operation, and I understand that Kibali in the DRC is also highly automated with multiple driverless loaders operating with full automation. Upcoming mines which will follow the same path include Ivanhoe’s Platreef project near Mokopane in South Africa, which according to Robert Friedland, who heads the company, will be staffed by a new breed of tech-savvy mine employees who “will lift nothing heavier than a pencil.” This is obvious hyperbole but one gets the message. Further afield, there are several pace-set- ting operations, with perhaps the pick of them being the CMOC-Northparkes copper and gold mine in Australia, which in 2015 claimed to have made history by reaching 100 % auto- mation in its E48 block cave mine using fully autonomous driverless loaders. What apparently makes Syama unique is that it will bring together automation technolo- gies that have been used separately in the past but are for the first time being brought together in a single package. This point was made ear- lier this year by mining robotics expert Dr Joe Cronin, who was automation project manager at Northparkes and who is currently assisting Resolute with the automation of Syama. He described Syama as “the mine we have been talking about building for over a decade. It brings together the automated truck experience

from Finsch and the automated loader expe- rience from Northparkes. Combined with a centralised scheduling and visualisation sys- tem and a mine-wide wireless network, we will have real-time, closed loop control of the entire underground production task.” The company selected by Resolute as its technology partner for the Syama underground project is Sandvik, which has worked closely with Resolute on the mine design. To fully automate Syama, it is delivering its AutoMine ® and OptiMine ® systems and a full fleet of Sandvik TH663 trucks and LH621, LH517 and LH514E loaders. The LH514E tethered electri- cal loader has been selected as the main loader for stope extraction. Originally a BHP operation which later passed into the hands of Randgold, Syama was acquired by Resolute in 2004. It was then on care and maintenance but was recommis- sioned in 2009. Mining at the main Syama pit was completed in 2015 and since then the mine has subsisted on stockpiled ore, underground development ore and satellite operations. The current underground project will see its life extended into the 2030s with annual produc- tion from the sub-level caving operation being at a rate of 2,4 Mt/a to produce plus 300 000 ounces of gold a year. A landmark in the development of Syama Underground was achieved during the September quarter of this year with the delivery of the first stoping ore. Sub-level cave produc- tion is due to start before the year is out. Although Resolute has an operating gold mine – Ravenswood – in Australia, the com- pany has for long had a strong association with Africa. In 1998 it opened the Golden Pride gold mine in Tanzania, the first ‘new generation’ mine in that country, which sub- sequently went on to produce 2,2 Moz of gold before mining operations ceased in late 2013. The company also owns the historic Bibiani gold mine in Ghana, which it is planning to recommission as an underground operation capable of producing around 100 000 ounces of gold a year. Syama, however, is Resolute’s ‘jewel in the crown’ and represents the cornerstone of its plans to become a 500 000-ounce-a-year gold producer. As Welborn commented earlier this year, “We aim to make Syama the best mine of its type in the world.” The whole indus- try will be wishing Resolute well in this bold endeavour. Arthur Tassell

Syama will bring together automation technologies that have been used separately in the past but are for the first time being brought together in a single package.

November 2018  MODERN MINING  3

MINING News

Roxgold advances new mine at Yaramoko

Yaramoko property. The deposit is located approximately 1,8 km south of the 55 Zone which is currently being mined. The Bagassi South QV1 deposit feasibil- ity study confirmed robust economics for a potential 350 tonnes/day (t/d) under- ground mine. Bagassi South contains probable mineral reserves of 458 000 tonnes grading 11,54 g/t gold and is expected to increase Yaramoko’s gold pro- duction by an estimated average of 40 000 ounces per year to 2023. To support the additional throughput expected from Bagassi South, the exist- ing Yaramoko gold mine process plant is being expanded from a capacity of 750 t/d to 1 100 t/d. “We continue to see consistently solid operating performance at Yaramoko with gold production of 106 812 ounces for the first nine months, positioning us well to meet the upper-end of our 2018 guidance range of producing between 120 000 and 130 000 ounces. With ongoing optimisa- tion activities at the plant, this quarter also saw record quarterly throughput repre- senting 15 % above nameplate capacity,” stated John Dorward, President and CEO of Roxgold. “Our Bagassi South expansion proj- ect continues to make excellent progress as both the construction of the process plant expansion and mine development at Bagassi South, our second high-grade underground gold mine, continue to be on schedule with first ore expected by the end of the year.”  diamond results for the four kimberlites tested to be highly encouraging and they are consistent with the existing project data, which points to high commercial diamond grades for these kimberlites. This is supported by the current bulk sample processing of the Lando kimberlite which, although highly diluted, has still yielded 800 carats at a grade of over 111 cpht. “Based on Newfield’s results to date, there is little doubt that the kimberlites that comprise the Tongo project are high grade and contain high quality diamonds. We look forward to the completion of the indepen- dent grade and valuemodelling work which is expected to lead to an updated JORC- compliant resource estimate for the Tongo project during the current quarter.” 

Recent aerial view of the Bagassi South site (photo: Roxgold).

tinued to advance the Bagassi South expansion project. All permits and decrees required for Bagassi South mining and the process plant expansion have now been received. Development and con- struction is progressing well with overall project completion at approximately 70 % in mid-October. Mine development has commenced with approximately 258 m completed and mobilisation of contractor personnel and equipment for the con- struction of the ventilation shaft is well underway. Bagassi South will be the second high- grade underground gold mine on the project during the current quarter. The core samples used in the micro- diamond analysis were obtained as part of the recent mine plan drilling programme on the Tongo project. The areas drilled are incorporated as the first two levels of underground mining within the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) study, which is expected to be completed in the current quarter. Results from this drilling are also expected to allow considerable amounts of the shallower mineralisation in those kimberlites to be categorised as indicated resources in the updated resource estimate. Comments Newfield Executive Director Mike Lynn: “Newfield considers the micro-

TSX-listed Roxgold has announced its 2018 third quarter (Q3) and first nine months (YTD 2018) production results from its Yaramoko gold mine in Burkina Faso. Yaramoko produced 30 532 ounces of gold in Q3 driven by a record quarterly processing throughput of 78 357 tonnes, which was 15 % above nameplate capac- ity. Plant availability was 94,9 % and overall recovery was 98,5 % during the quarter. Production for YTD 2018 now stands at 106 812 ounces which puts Roxgold in a strong position to achieve the upper end of its guidance range for the full 2018 year. During the quarter, the company con-

Microdiamond results are “highly encouraging” Newfield Resources, listed on the ASX, has released the results of microdiamond anal- yses from a series of kimberlite drill core samples and the processing of a 717‑tonne sample of the Lando kimberlite from the Tongo diamond project in Sierra Leone. Collectively, the microdiamond and bulk sample processing results strongly support the relatively high diamond grade estimates established in historical resource estimates for the Tongo project kimber- lites. These new results will be fed into the existing resource estimation process being undertaken by MPH Consulting (Canada) with targeted release of an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the

4  MODERN MINING  November 2018

MINING News

Kibali posts record results for latest quarter

The processing plant at the Kibali gold mine (photo: Randgold).

The Kibali gold mine in the north-east of the DRC is continuing to deliver perfor- mance improvements across the board and posted record results for the quarter to September. Speaking at a recent briefing for local media in Kinshasa, Randgold CEO Mark Bristow said the mine was operating at or above its designed throughput, recov- ery and hoisting capacity on the back of the ramp-up in underground production, access to higher grade underground ore and the optimisation of its automated materials handling system. “This confirms our mid-year view that Kibali is trending to significantly outper- form its full-year production guidance of 730 000 ounces,” Bristow said. “During this time the mine also success- fully transitioned from contractor mining underground to owner mining by an all- Kibali and almost entirely Congolese team, and commissioned its third hydropower station, Azambi. It is worth noting that this is the first industrial-size power plant built by Congolese contractors, and the exper- tise they gained in the process augurs well

for the development of the country’s engi- neering sector.” Bristow said with the mine now oper- ating at full capacity and steady state, the focus on finding fresh ounces to feed its high production rate had intensified, and its exploration teams were working on the conversion of resources to reserves, as well as finding new resources. “With the completion of its seven-year capital investment programme, Kibali is now poised to start returning capital to the investors who funded the development of this large and complex project in a remote part of the DRC,” Bristow said. “Even though Kibali has only moved into full underground production this year, it has already made a major contribution to the Congolese economy. To date, its in- country contribution amounts to almost US$2,5 billion in the form of taxes, permits, infrastructure development, salaries and payments to local suppliers. In the third quarter of this year alone, Kibali spent more than US$40 million on local contractors.” Bristow also announced that Kibali had reached an agreement with the Ministry

of Finance on the reimbursement of out- standing TVA (value added tax), which amounted to US$218 million in total. The agreement allows for US$40 million to be paid upfront, while the balance will be settled on an offset basis. In another sig- nificant development, the Ministry has agreed to exempt local goods and services purchased by Kibali from TVA. “We see the government as a key part- ner in our long term commitment to the creation of value for all stakeholders in the DRC and we engage with them on a broad range of issues, including the challenges which arose from the implementation of the country’s new mining code,” he said. He noted that so far this year, Kibali had spent more than US$1,3 million on local community development projects, most recently on the launch of the Durba large- scale water distribution system . Kibali is owned by Kibali Goldmines SA which is a joint venture company in which the major partners are Randgold (45 %) and AngloGold Ashanti (45 %). The remaining 10 % is held by Société Miniére de Kilo-Moto (SOKIMO). 

November 2018  MODERN MINING  5

MINING News

Acacia’s quarterly production exceeds expectations tion, partly offset by higher cash costs. The Bulyanhulu mine. The underground mine was placed on reduced operations in late 2017 and all current production is from the retreatment of tailings (photo: Acacia).

all of our people who continue to do their very best in the face of what is now an increasingly challenging operating envi- ronment in Tanzania,” commented Peter Geleta, Interim CEO of Acacia, who said the Group was targeting production to be marginally in excess of 500 000 ounces for the full year. He added that he was deeply con- cerned about the increasing risks to the safety and security of Acacia’s employees.“I am particularly concerned with the crimi- nal charges now being brought against several current or former employees over the past week, in connection with matters which are being raised in the arbitrations with the Government of Tanzania relating to Bulyanhulu and Buzwagi,” he said. “We are seeking to engage with Barrick to understand how the recent significant escalations of Government actions against BGML, NMGML and PML and employees will be taken into account in any further direct discussions between Barrick and the Government. “We will also be reaching out to the Government to seek the opportunity for direct dialogue regarding the ongoing disputes between the Government, the company and the broader Acacia Group, and also to inform the Government that failing a negotiated resolution the com- pany may need to pursue claims under the relevant bilateral investment treaty.” 

LSE-listed Acacia Mining, which operates the Bulyanhulu, Buzwagi and North Mara gold mines in north-west Tanzania, reports a gold production of 136 640 ounces in the three months ended 30 September 2018 (Q3). Bulyanhulu is owned and operated by Bulyanhulu Gold Mine Limited (BGML), Buzwagi by Pangea Minerals Limited (PML) and North Mara by North Mara Gold Mine Limited (NMGML), which are all part of the Acacia Group. The majority shareholder in Acacia is Barrick Gold. Although, on a year on year basis, Q3 2018 production was 29 % lower than Q3 2017 (191 203 ounces), this was primarily attributable to the move to reduced operations at Bulyanhulu and to stockpile processing at Buzwagi in 2018. This was partly offset by higher gold pro- duction at North Mara driven by higher head grades. Production for the quarter exceeded management expectations due to strong production performances across all three sites. North Mara’s production of 89 287 gold ounces for the quarter was 24 % higher than Q3 2017 (72 011 ounces) mainly due to 24 % higher head grades compared to Q3 2017, primarily driven by higher grade ore received from the eastern part of the Nyabirama open pit. AISC of US$814 per ounce sold was 6 % lower than in Q3 2017 (US$864/oz) as a result of higher produc-

At Buzwagi, gold production of 36 460 ounces for Q3 2018 was 47 % lower than in Q3 2017 (69 097 ounces), as a result of the mine transitioning to a lower grade stockpile processing operation in 2018 in line with its remaining life of mine plan. Mining of the final cut of higher grade ore at the bottom of the pit commenced dur- ing the quarter, resulting in slightly higher than expected production, and is due to be completed in Q4. AISC per ounce sold of US$1 018 was 46 % higher than Q3 2017, mainly driven by higher cash costs due to the lower production base and drawdown in ore inventory as a result of lower grade stockpile processing. Bulyanhulu produced 10 893 gold ounces for the quarter, 78 % below Q3 2017 (50 094 ounces). During the quar- ter all production continued to be from the retreatment of tailings as a result of the underground mine being placed on reduced operations in late 2017. AISC per ounce sold for the quarter of US$727 was 47 % lower than Q3 2017 (US$1 365/oz) driven by reduced capital and operating spend. “During the third quarter Acacia is pleased to have delivered a strong opera- tional performance, producing 136 640 ounces of gold at an all-in sustaining cost of US$880 per ounce sold. This is a testa- ment to the resilience and dedication of

6  MODERN MINING  November 2018

MINING News

Exploitation Permit opens the way for Baobab expansion

Avenira, listed on the ASX, reports that BaobabMining and Chemicals Corporation SA (BMCC), an 80 %-owned subsidiary of the company, has received a Senegalese Government Exploitation Permit for the Gadde Bissik area within its Baobab phos- phate project in Senegal. Comments Avenira’s MD and CEO, Louis Calvarin: “ The grant of this Exploitation Permit is a major milestone for our Baobab expansion and upgrade investment project. Receiving the per- mit underpins all future steps including funding the project implementation and increases our company’s Feasibility Study momentum. I would like to thank the Government of Senegal and the Baobab project team for all their work and sup- port reaching this point.” The permit covers an area of 75 km 2 around the former Gadde Bissik Small Mine Permit and is valid for an initial renewable period of 20 years. Following the restructuring triggered by this permit grant, the Senegalese Government will hold a 10 % free-carried interest in the legal entity owning the per- mit, and the new structure will be exempt from paying certain taxes. The permit covers the area identified by Avenira as offering the best economic potential for commercial phosphate rock mining. It surrounds the ‘Small Mine’ operation – the Gadde Bissik mine – launched by Avenira through BMCC in 2016.

Phosphate concentrate production at Baobab (photo: Avenira).

to initiate a ‘Bankable’ Feasibility Study phase (Class 3 estimate with a ±10 % targeted accuracy) based on the proj- ect configuration set at the conclusion of the FS, aiming at a June 2019 quarter completion. The indicated mineral resource within the permit area is estimated at 41,8 Mt at 19,4 % P 2 O 5 at a cut-off grade of 10 % P 2 O 5 , and the inferred mineral resource is estimated at 247 Mt at 16,0 % P 2 O 5 at a cut-off grade of 10 % P 2 O 5 , both taking into account depletion by mining to date. 

Mining at Gadde Bissik was suspended in 2017 and the mine is currently process- ing existing ROM stockpiles. A Feasibility Study (FS) is underway which is examining replacing the existing processing circuit on site with industry-standard flotation, magnetic separation and drying steps. The target capacity is 1,0 Mt/a of phosphate rock concentrate. The FS – which is being undertaken by Wood PLC – is currently projected to be completed in the December 2018 quarter (Class 4 estimate with a ±20 % targeted accuracy). Following this, Avenira intends

November 2018  MODERN MINING  7

MINING News

Ity CIL project tracking two months early

commenced three months earlier than initially planned. Structural, mechanical, piping and electrical installation work is well underway. Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) earth- works are progressing well against schedule with over 70 % completed and rubber lining has commenced. The 90 kV transmission line and 29 MWpower station construction are progressing well and first power drawdown is expected in Q1-2019. More than 2 800 personnel, includ- ing contractors, are currently employed on site, approximately 90 % of whom are locals. The Ity CIL project commenced con- struction in September 2017 and is being carried out by Endeavour’s in-house team following their successful completion of the Houndé and Agbaou projects. The Optimisation Study, published in September 2017, demonstrated the sig- nificant potential of Ity, which has already been in operation for more than 20 years, to become another flagship asset for Endeavour. The project is expected to pro- duce approximately 204 000 ounces of gold annually for the first 10 years. Endeavour operates five mines across Côte d’Ivoire (Agbaou and Ity), Burkina Faso (Houndé and Karma) and Mali (Tabakoto) which are expected to pro- duce 670-720 koz in 2018 at an AISC of US$840‑890/oz.  “The first quarter was a good start to our financial year and it is pleasing that the positive operational momentum from the previous quarter was maintained,” com- ments Paul Bosma, Firestone’s CEO. “We held one sale during the quarter which was impacted by lower average values realised for the smaller, lower quality ROM stones. However, from a total revenue perspective, the impact was partly offset by higher sales volumes. We completed our second sale of the financial year post the quarter end and, pleasingly, the strong demand for our special stones offset the continued pricing pressure on the ROM stones, resulting in an improved average value realised of US$79 per carat. “During October we also recovered our largest stone to date, a 326-carat near-gem diamond which provides further evidence of Liqhobong’s large stone potential and, importantly, the ability of the treatment plant to recover larger stones intact.” 

The Ity CIL plant under construction (photo: Endeavour).

Endeavour Mining Corporation, listed on the TSX, reports that construction of its Ity Carbon-in-Leach (CIL) project in Côte d’Ivoire is tracking two months ahead of schedule and remains on budget. The first gold pour is now expected to occur in early Q2-2019 rather than mid-2019 as previ- ously planned. “I’d like to thank the construction team for their hard work and excellent progress achieved so far,” comments Sébastien de Montessus, Endeavour’s President & CEO. “Completing the construction sooner is expected to result in material improve- ment to our 2019 free-cash flow generation potential as Ity CIL will be a low-cost opera- tion with AISC expected to be below US$500/oz over its first five years.” Jeremy Langford, COO & Executive

Vice-President Projects, adds: “The experi- ence that our in-house construction team has gained from our previous builds in the region, the early installation of the ball and SAG mills, combined with the excellent progress made during the rainy season, have been key factors which have helped advance the Ity CIL construction ahead of schedule. We are also particularly pleased with the continued strong safety track recordwith zero lost-time incidents to date.” Overall project completion stands at over 75 %. Nearly all of the US$412 million initial capital cost has been committed and approximately 65 % has been spent (inclu- sive of drawn equipment financing). The process plant construction is over 70 % complete, tracking ahead of sched- ule as the ball and SAG mill installation were sold at the recent tender which realised an average value of US$79 per carat. A combination of cost savings and con- tinued local currency weakness against the US dollar resulted in a decrease in the operating costs for the quarter to US$10,05 per tonne treated (Q4 FY18: US$10,98 per tonne treated) including waste stripping, well below the guidance range of between US$15 and US$16 per tonne treated. Work on the mine plan continued dur- ing the quarter to consider the viability of extending the life of mine. The company recorded its first lost time injury during the three-month period after having worked a total of 6,7 million man- hours since project commencement in July 2014. Fortunately, the incident was not too serious with the employee returning to work three days later.

Liqhobong maintains its positive momentum AIM-listed Firestone Diamonds, which operates the Liqhobong diamond mine in Lesotho, reports that the mine recovered 240 733 carats at a grade of 23,8 carats per hundred tonnes (cpht) during the quarter ended 30 September 2018 (Q1 of the com- pany’s 2019 financial year). This compared to 263 512 carats at a grade of 25,7 cpht in Q4 FY2018.

Waste stripping of Cut 2 south com- menced during the quarter. New access roads and excavation platforms were established against the steep southern flank of the valley. Waste mining tonnages are planned to increase during the year as more working space is established. During the quarter, 114 special stones (plus 10,8 carats) were recovered (Q4 FY18: 114 stones). The average quality and size improved in September with the recovery of several better quality diamonds which

8  MODERN MINING  November 2018

MINING News

High-tech training centre opened

Tietto Minerals appoints Exploration Manager West African gold developer and explorer Tietto Minerals, listed on the ASX, has appointed senior exploration geologist Dr Mathieu Ageneau as its Exploration Manager as the company accelerates exploration of its Abujar gold project in Côte d’Ivoire. Dr Ageneau is currently Newcrest Mining Limited’s West Africa Senior Geologist, lead- ing the team which discovered the Antenna gold deposit at Seguela in Côte d’Ivoire. He also worked in West Africa with SRK Exploration Services and has previous explo- ration experience in Australia with Gold Fields Australasia, as well as in Serbia (First Quantum Minerals), Peru (Pan American Silver) and Papua New Guinea (Lihir Gold). Tietto Managing Director Dr Caigen Wang said the company was pleased to have attracted a high-calibre candidate to the role. “Mathieu has an excellent track record in successful West African gold exploration, and more specifically in Côte d’Ivoire, and helped Newcrest discover the 430 000 oz Antenna resource. We are confident he can lead Tietto in rapidly expanding our resources at Abujar as we continue to report high grade results over thick intercepts,” he said. Tietto has planned an extensive work programme for 2018-19 to explore its Abujar project, where it is focused on the Abujar Middle tenement as well as preliminary work at the Abujar North and South tenements. The project has a JORC inferred resource of 10,4 Mt at 2,1 g/t Au for 703 600 oz and Tietto is aiming to upgrade this in late 2018 following completion of 15 000 m of RC and diamond drilling in Q4 2018, with a further upgrade expected in 2019. 

On 8 November 2018, thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions South Africa hosted the official opening of its new Technical Training Academy situated at the compa- ny’s Service Centre in Chloorkop, an event attended by Naledi Pandor, Minister of Higher Education. “Our aim is to offer first class technical training programmes to raise the tech- nical proficiencies and standards of our industry and to set further benchmarks for excellence on the African continent,” said Philipp Nellessen, CEO at thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions Sub Sahara Africa. “We want to develop exceptional skills in Africa for Africa!” “Our decision to build a Technical Training Academy was motivated by our goal to develop exceptional candidates for our workshop and site team environ- ments combined with the tremendous

skills shortage faced by the country,” commented Ruben Lamprecht, General Manager of thyssenkrupp Service Centre. “This was a key driving force behind the construction of the approximately 1 300 m 2 training facility which will enable us to train and upskill young people for our industry on our equipment in line with our standards to the ultimate benefit of our customers.” thyssenkrupp’s close on R20 million investment includes a 831 m 2 workshop which houses state-of-the-art equipment such as lathes, milling machines, hydrau- lic, pneumatic and electrical simulators as well as all practical models required for the technical training. The 483 m 2 first floor is equipped with high-end tools to conduct, simulate and annotate certain principles and circuitry within the class- room environment. 

The training facility houses state-of-the-art equipment (photo: thyssenkrupp).

November 2018  MODERN MINING  9

MINING News

Kom-Vision technology introduced at Mogalakwena

into future collision avoidance systems. In line with our strategy of FutureSmart Mining™, it will generate close-to-real-time health and performance data that will sup- port us in optimising our operations.” Comments Chris Griffith, CEO of Anglo American Platinum: “Investing in this tech- nology is a major step in increasing safety levels at our mines. We remain committed to our objective of eliminating fatalities with a zero-harm mindset. We put safety first and believe that every employee has the right to return home unharmed every day. And we recognise that although we have made significant progress in improv- ing safety over the years, there is still much to do. This technology will eliminate a number of risks and we look forward to benefitting from the improved safety and operational features of these trucks.” According to Anglo American Platinum, the case for innovation in mining remains highly compelling. To deliver the step- changes required to create a truly modern, safe and productive industry on a sustain- able basis that society demands and that customers expect, the industry must con- tinue to evolve. Therefore, Anglo American continues to invest time working through how innovation can help the industry address its major challenges. Through FutureSmart Mining™, the company has successfully drawn on the expertise of diverse stakeholders, including employ- ees, partners in academia and civil society, peers in the mining and parallel industries. The company continues to focus on driving a more sustainable approach to mining through cutting-edge min- ing software and other technology-led innovations. Production Manager Judd Barlow said: “We are proud to partner with Komatsu as this technology allows us to maximise capacity and safely deliver on our promises.” The new trucks will be the first earth- moving vehicles at Mogalakwena to fully integrate a range of business improvement initiatives including: collision avoidance ready technology; a tyre monitoring sys- tem; a safety standard fuel saving card and extended fuel tank; an optimised pay- load system for payload monitoring; an Ansul foam fire protection system which combines dry powder with foam; and a lightweight bowl. 

The Mogalakwena mine has taken delivery of two Kom-Vision-equipped Komatsu 930E earthmoving vehicles (photo: Anglo American Platinum).

Anglo American Platinum recently brought two Kom-Vision-equipped Komatsu 930E earthmoving vehicles into production at theMogalakwena Complex nearMokopane in South Africa’s Limpopo Province. The Kom-Vision technology is a significant step towards improving safety at the mine as it gives the truck operator a 360-degree bird’s eye view and significantly reduces the risks Prospect signs option on lithium project

substantially mineralised in fine-grained spodumene. The project area is located approxi- mately 16 km south-east of the town of Bindura and some 65 km from the capital city, Harare, and consists of a swarm of Lithium-Caesium-Tantalum (LCT) pegma- tites which were historically worked for spodumene, beryl, tantalite, columbite, cassiterite, feldspar and lepidolite. The Lipropeg claims cover part of a previously unexploited 500 m by 200 m wide SE-NW striking pegmatite body along the southern edge of the Shamva greenstone belt. Prospect intends to commence its explo- ration programme immediately. The first phase will consist of mapping, soil and rock chip sampling and ground magnetics. The follow-up phase will be results driven, but likely consist of infill soil sampling followed by trenching, and then appropriate short hole RC percussion drilling.  associated with a man-machine interface. The new system has an additional eight radars – over and above the cur- rent standard of front and rear radars – and six cameras that provide zero-metre visibility of the truck’s footprint. “This technology sets a new benchmark,” says Mogalakwena’s General Manager, Richard Cox. “It improves our ability to integrate

ASX-listed Prospect Resources has signed a 90-day option to acquire the Lipropeg lithium project from Zimbabwean company Pegmaton Resources. Prospect’s flagship project is the Arcadia lithium project located on the outskirts of Harare in Zimbabwe, now at an advanced stage with a DFS having just been released. The company is using its expertise gained at Arcadia in lithium exploration and geologi- cal modelling to focus its exploration targets in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in the region. The 5 km 2 Lipropeg project is located in north-eastern Zimbabwe and contains numerous mineralised pegmatites. The five Lipropeg claims are within 2 km to the south, and on strike, of known historical small mines which include the Loch Ness, Bonnyvale and Ronspur. These historical mines were exploited in the 1960s for beryl, cassiterite and tantalum mineralisation, and were also reportedly

10  MODERN MINING  November 2018

MINING News

Contract for strip mining services extended BBBEE contributor. Its vision is to create economic growth through joint ventures, procurement, employment and SMME development. T h e f o u n d e r a n d

Anglo American Platinum has announced the extension of a contract with Zizwe Batlase for the provision of strip min- ing services at Amandelbult Complex. A successful joint venture, Zizwe Batlase is 51 % owned by the local community of Baphalane through the Baphalane Community Trust, named Batlase. In 2016, Anglo American Platinum ini- tiated a partnership with Zizwe Batlase through contracts for mining services at its Amandelbult Complex. This contract enables Zizwe Batlase to provide oppor- tunities such as employment, SMME development, infrastructure development and business opportunities to local and small businesses in the community. This is the largest localised community project at Amandelbult and will increase the mine’s host historically disadvantaged (HDSA) spend by 6 %. Zizwe was established in 2003 to form a local BBBEE company in the Eastern Bushveld Complex. It is currently a level 2

Chairman of Zizwe Batlase, Howard Maimela, said that through the partnership between Anglo American Platinum and Baphalane Community Trust, many job opportunities are created. “We need operators for our trucks, excavators and other machinery. These are opportunities that locals can benefit from.” Anglo American Plati­ n um’s S e n i o r S o c i a l

Pictured here (from left) are Howard Maimela, Chairman of Zizwe Opencast Mining; Kgosi Manotshe Ramokoka, Leader of the Baphalane people; and Patrick Morutlwa, Senior General Manager of Amandelbult Complex.

Performance Manager at Amandelbult, Tshepo Kgasago, said: “We are proud of what has been achieved through this part-

nership. It is a model of how communities can be included to benefit sustainably from procurement opportunities.” 

November 2018  MODERN MINING  11

12  MODERN MINING  November 2018

MINING News

Ivanhoe makes “significant progress” at Kipushi

Reporting on the progress of its Kipushi copper-zinc-germanium-lead project in the DRC in its third quarter results (the three months to 30 September), TSX-listed Ivanhoe Mines says that significant prog- ress has been made in modernising the Kipushi mine’s underground infrastructure as part of preparations for the mine to resume commercial production. In Q3 2018, the Kipushi project suc- cessfully completed initial, pre-production testing as part of the equipment commis- sioning process for the new, large-capacity rock crusher that has been installed 1 150m below surface. The Sandvik jaw crusher has a maximum capacity of 1 085 t/h. The 54-t machine was re-assembled and installed in the crusher chamber after it was disas- sembled on surface and its pieces were lowered down Shaft 5, which is the Kipushi mine’s main production shaft. Ivanhoe has completed the upgrading of a significant amount of underground infrastructure at the project, including a series of vertical mine shafts to various depths, with associated head frames, as well as underground mine excavations. A series of crosscuts and ventilation infra- structure still are in working condition. The underground infrastructure also includes a series of pumps to manage the influx of water into the mine. Shaft 5 is 8 m in diameter and 1 240 m deep. It has now been upgraded and re- commissioned. The main personnel and material winder has been upgraded and modernised to meet international industry standards and safety criteria. The Shaft 5 rock-hoisting winder is now fully opera-

Bukasa Lengesha, a boilermaker at Kipushi, inspecting the recently installed ore-loading flask at the bottom of Shaft 5 (photo: Ivanhoe).

The Kipushi project’s PFS, announced by Ivanhoe Mines in December 2017, antic- ipates annual production of an average of 381 000 tonnes of zinc concentrate over an 11-year, initial mine life at a total cash cost of approximately US$0,48 per pound of zinc. The planned primary mining method for the Big Zinc deposit in the PFS is sublevel, long-hole, open stoping, with cemented backfill. The crown pillars are expected to be mined once adjacent stopes are backfilled using a pillar-retreat mining method. The deposit is expected to be accessed via the existing decline and without any significant new development. The historic Kipushi mine is adjacent to the town of Kipushi and approximately 30 km south-west of Lubumbashi.  tion team continues to build out targets to the north and south of the Loulo-Gounkoto structures along a 70 km strike in one of the world’s most prolific gold regions. Elsewhere in Mali, Randgold has entered into discussions on a potential joint venture with the government to explore a regional area of interest to develop a detailed geo- logical dataset. In terms of the proposal, Randgold will have first choice of identi- fied prospects and the rest will be made available to the government to attract other investors. The process will offer some private holders of rights in the area the opportunity to become potential equity partners in new ventures. 

tional, with new head- and tail-ropes also installed. Two newly manufactured rock conveyances (skips) and the supporting frames (bridles) have been installed in the shaft to facilitate the hoisting of rock from the main ore and waste storage silos feed- ing rock on the 1 200-m level. The main haulage way on the 1 150-m level between the Big Zinc access decline and Shaft 5 rock load-out facilities has been resurfaced with concrete so the mine now can use modern, trackless, mobile machinery. With the underground upgrading programme nearing completion, the proj- ect’s focus will shift to modernising and upgrading Kipushi’s surface infrastructure to handle and process Kipushi’s high-grade zinc and copper resources. Also at the briefing, Chiaka Berthe, GM Operations forWest Africa, said brownfields exploration on the orebody extensions was confirming the potential for the complex to keep replacing depleted reserves with ounces of the same quality. “Loulo-Gounkoto is one of the largest operations of its kind in the world and has been a pillar of the Malian economy since Loulo went into production in 2005. The lat- est exploration results show that its life is likely to extend beyond the current 10-year horizon,” he said. Further afield, the greenfields explora-

Loulo-Gounkoto complex steps up production Randgold Resources’ Loulo-Gounkoto gold mining complex in Mali is stepping up pro- duction following the start of the pushback at Gounkoto’s new super pit with increased grades expected in the third and fourth quarter of the year.

Briefing local media in Bamako recently, Chief Executive Mark Bristow said that, as guided, the complex’s production profilewas weighted towards the back half of the year because of the big pushback’s impact in the first two quarters. It was now getting back to its normal run rate and there has been an increase in production in the third quarter.

November 2018  MODERN MINING  13

MINING News

Contractor appointed for bulk sampling at Thorny River

carat respectively over the estimated volume of 1,2 to 2,1 Mt of kimberlite to a depth of 100 m). Assuming optimum kimberlite processing, the annual benefits of the con- tract over the three to six year mine life of Thorny River could potentially be between US$2 to US$7 million annually. Regulatory approvals from the South African Department of Mineral Resources have been applied for. An advance in-fill drilling programme will allow detailed planning prior to commencing bulk sampling and the revenue and information from this proj- ect will enable the company to consider further long-term options for Thorny River and the surrounding kimberlite field. Comments John Teeling,

This photo of the Thorny River site was taken in November 2017 during initial bulk sampling (photo: Botswana Diamonds).

In terms of the contract, a net revenue royalty of 12 % will accrue to Vutomi; 8 % will accrue toVutomi to cover state mineral royalties, sales and security expenses; and 80 % will accrue to Palaeo to cover its min- ing and processing costs. A processing target of up to 30 000 tons of kimberlite per month has been set and diamonds will be recovered using a pro- cessing facility at a nearby diamond mine. Modelled diamond grades and value ranges were reported in February 2018 (46‑74 cpht and US$120 to US$220 per highly prospective Lafigué target, with the drill results published in September this year. The maiden Lafigué resource estimate encompasses approximately two-thirds of the total mineralised area defined to date which extends over an area 2,5 km long by 0,6 km wide. The mineralisation remains open at depth and towards the south-east. A 45 000-m drill programme has com- menced and will continue into 2019, with a focus on the Lafigué target and testing new targets. An updated resource estimate is expected to be published in late 2019. “I would like to congratulate our explo- ration team for achieving this important

Following the release of a Technical and Economic Evaluation Report on Thorny River in June 2018, AIM-listed Botswana Diamonds and its partner Vutomi have been considering a number of options to advance the property. This process has concluded with Botswana Diamonds signing a contract with Palaeo Minerals to provide bulk sam- pling and potentially mining services to the project. Palaeo is an experienced min- ing contractor which has several mining contracts in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Chairman of Botswana Diamonds: “We are confident that Thorny River could be the first diamond producing project for Botswana Diamonds. A royalty bulk sam- pling/mining model means that we have no capital expenditure apart from a limited in-fill drilling programme in early 2019. We anticipate the award of the necessary regulatory approvals in anticipation of rev- enue being generated during the course of 2019. I look forward to providing share- holders with further updates regarding Thorny River in due course.”  milestone,” said Sébastien de Montessus, President and CEO of Endeavour. “This maiden resource brings us one step closer to attaining our strategic objective of iden- tifying a new project as part of our five-year exploration strategy set in late 2016. “While we have one of the largest explo- ration tenements in West Africa, our key strength has been the team’s ability to pri- oritise and rank top prospective targets to focus our efforts on those which have the best potential to one day become strate- gic long-life, low-cost mines within our portfolio.” Fetekro is located in north-central Côte d’Ivoire, approximately 500 km from Abidjan, within the northern-end of the Oumé-Fetekro greenstone belt. 

Endeavour announces maiden resource for Lafigué Endeavour Mining, listed on the TSX, has announced a maiden resource estimate on the Lafigué target, located within the Ivorian Fetekro greenfield exploration property, and the identification of 14 addi- tional nearby targets.

The estimate comprises an indicated resource of 6,8 Mt at 2,25 g/t Au for 494 koz; and an inferred resource of 3,0Mt at 2,25 g/t Au for 225 koz. Endeavour began exploration on the Fetekro property in March 2017, following a strategic assessment of its exploration ten- ements which ranked the property as a top priority target. Since then, nearly 32 000 m have been drilled, mainly focused on the

14  MODERN MINING  November 2018

MINING News

DFS on uranium project progressing on multiple fronts

Aura Energy, listed on the ASX and AIM, reports that the Tiris Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) is progressing well with all major work targeted for completion by year end. The DFS is in full progress on a number of fronts, following a period of constrained activity due to previous weak- ness in the uranium price. TheTiris uraniumproject inMauritania is a near-term development project with pro- duction expected in 2020. It has a 17million pound U 3 O 8 resource in the measured and indicated category. Based on the 2014 Scoping Study, it has a US$45million capital cost and a US$19,40/lb operating cost. The major recent DFS activities include completion of a major bulk sampling exer- cise at the Sahara Desert site; significant metallurgical test work initiated in both Australia and South Africa; development of the final process flowsheet; and opti- misation of the water usage given the project location. The proposed process flow sheet includes a modular beneficiation plant, consisting of rotary scrubbing and wet screening. The beneficiated product is dewatered in a thickener and filter, with recovered process water returned to the scrubbing and screening circuit. The ben- eficiated product, representing 15 % of initial feed mass is leached in an alkaline carbonate leach at 90°C, with total resi- dence time of 12 hours. The uranium-rich leach solution is then recovered by filtra- tion and uranium recovered in an ion exchange circuit. Concentrated uranium is then precipitated as Sodium Di-Uranate (SDU) and then purified and re-precipi- tated to form the final UO 4 product. DFS engineeringdesignhas commenced

Samples from the Tiris project at Aura’s scrubbing and screening laboratory in Nouakchott, Mauritania (photo: Aura).

modular design to allow for more efficient installation and commissioning. A programme of trenching was under- taken for the Lazare North and Lazare South resources in April 2018. The focus of this programme was to collect rep- resentative samples, from which bulk metallurgical composites have been pre- pared and shipped to laboratories for detailed test work. “The progression of the Tiris uranium project DFS is pleasing, following an extended hiatus during the period of lower uranium prices. In the current environment of rising prices, the Tiris project with its low capital and operating costs remains cur- rently as one of theworld’smost compelling uranium development projects,”comments Peter Reeve, Aura’s Executive Chairman. “The current rise in the uranium price is encouraging and the Tiris uranium project is expected to be in production in 2020 (subject to financing and permitting), moving Aura to producer status.” 

and initial contracts for engineering of process circuits have been issued. Aura’s focus for engineering design has been on utilisation of modular systems to improve efficiency in design, installation and commissioning. The DFS engineering contract for the modular beneficiation circuit, along with responsibility for integration of modu- lar systems and site infrastructure, has been awarded to Mincore Engineering, Melbourne, with completion expected in Q1 2019. Mincore is an experienced engi- neering firm specialising in the design of small scale, innovative process circuits for a range of commodities. The DFS engineering contract for design of the leaching, ion exchange and uranium precipitation and purification circuits has been awarded to Simulus Engineers, a Perth-based engineering firm specialising in the design and optimisa- tion of hydrometallurgical circuits. These circuits will utilise a pre-commissioned

November 2018  MODERN MINING  15