Modern Mining October 2022

MINING News

DMRE rules in favour of Steenkampskraal in prospecting right appeal

Orezone pours first gold at the Bomboré Mine

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has dismissed an appeal lodged against the decision of the Regional Manager: Western Cape Region of the DMRE to reject the appellant’s prospecting right application in respect of Portion 1 of the Farm Steenkamps Kraal 70. Currently, Steenkampskraal Monazite Mine (SMM) has the right to mine all the minerals in the 474-hectare mining right (MR) area, except diamonds and oil. The Mineral and Petroleum Resources

Development Act 28 of 2002 (MPRDA) prohibits the acceptance of the prospect ing right application where there is a right granted to another entity for the same min eral and land. Chairman of Steenkampskraal Holdings, Trevor Blench, said: “We welcome the deci sion and at no stage were we concerned about the DMRE not dismissing the appeal.” SMM has invested a total of about $50-million to bring the mine back into production. 

TXS-listed Orezone Gold has poured first gold from its Bomboré Mine, located in Burkina Faso. The construction of the Bomboré Mine was completed under budget, on time, and with no lost time injuries, the company said. Commissioning of the process plant com menced in late July with ore introduced into the circuit near the end of August. The plant continues to operate well with all systems functioning as designed, resulting in gold recoveries slightly above expectations. Current mill feed is a combination of direct tipped ore from the pits and from stockpiles at the ROM pad. Mining operations are per forming as planned and will ramp up as the mine enters commercial production, expected in early Q4-2022. CEO Patrick Downey stated: “In a short span of twenty months, we have suc cessfully financed and constructed this Greenfield project, mined over 15.7-million tonnes of material, including 5.8-million tonnes of ore, while maintaining the health and safety of our workforce.” 

Steenkampskraal operations.

Jagersfontein relief fund launched The Minerals Council South Africa recently launched an internal emergency Minerals Council Jagersfontein Relief Fund for its members to contribute towards urgent humanitarian assistance, the clean-up of the affected area, and assistance with the recon struction of infrastructure after the collapse of a tailings dam at the Free State town. The collapse of the tailings dam on 11 September 2022 resulted in one death and injuries to nearly 100 people as well as damage to 35

dwellings and extensive infrastructural dam age. While the owners of the Jagersfontein assets are not Minerals Council members, the council sent a senior technical team to the site to assess the damage and estab lish what the industry could do to assist families and the affected communities. The Minerals Council set a target of R50-million for the Jagersfontein Relief Fund and it has requested contributions from its member companies and associations. 

First gold poured at the Bomboré Mine.

6  MODERN MINING  October 2022