Modern Mining September 2019

feature SHAFT SINKING AND UNDERGROUND DEVELOPMENT Reporting on its Platreef project near Mokopane in its recent second quarter results (to 30 June 2019), Ivanhoe Mines says it is investigating an alternative production plan, targeting signifi- cantly lower initial capital, to accelerate first production by using Shaft 1 as the mine’s initial production shaft. Right: Construction of Platreef’s Shaft 2 headframe foundation has been successfully completed (photo: Ivanhoe). Below: Testing the ventilation at Shaft 1’s 750-metre-level station (photo: Ivanhoe). T his plan will focus on initially targeting the development of mining zones accessible from Shaft 1 and maximising the hoisting capacity of this shaft, followed by expansions to the pro- duction rate as outlined in the DFS. Shaft 1 reached the top of the high-grade Flatreef deposit (T1 mineralised zone) at a depth of 780,2 m below surface in Q3-2018 and has since been extended to a depth of more than 900 m below sur- face. The thickness of the mineralised reef (T1 and T2 mineralised zones) at Shaft 1 is 29 m, with grades of platinum group metals ranging up to 11 g/t 3PE (plati- num, palladium and rhodium) plus gold, as well as significant quantities of nickel and copper. The 29‑m intersection yielded approximately 3 000 tonnes of ore, estimated to contain more than 400 ounces of

Ivanhoe looks at alternative production plan for Platreef

platinum group metals. The ore is stockpiled on sur- face for further metallurgical sampling. The 750-metre-level and 850-metre-level stations have both been completed and will provide initial, underground access to the high-grade orebody,

48  MODERN MINING  September 2019