Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Tailings |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Hydraulic mining
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
|
Production Start | ... |
Mine Life | 2026 |
Barberton Mines also includes the BTRP surface retreatment operation which is located within Fairview Mine’s mining right footprint area. The BTRP was designed to treat 100,000t of tailings per month and adds low-cost and low-risk ounces to Pan African's production profile.
At the end of the BTRP’s tailings retreatment life, when current sources are depleted, it is planned to convert the plant to process hard rock feedstock from the Royal Sheba project, which has an estimated life-of-mine of eight years, with the orebody being open at depth. |
Source:
p. 80,107-108
Pan African Resources' subsidiary, Barberton Mines Proprietary Limited, owns 95% of the Barberton operation. Employees own 5% of the issued share capital of Barberton Mines through an ESOP.
Contractors
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Summary:
The BTRP section retreats previously processed gold ore in the form of slime material. The slimes emanate from historical mining activities on the same orebodies that are currently being mined underground from the existing Barberton Mines underground operations.
The material is confined to the deposition site of historical tailings and approximately 1m beneath the historical footprint. The ore consists of oxidised tailings containing pyrite and arsenopyrite associated gold, which was not recovered in the initial treatment process.
Mining Methods
- Hydraulic mining
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
Summary:
A surface remining site with road access from all surface material sources to the plant. Ore is either pumped (hydraulic remining and Fairview plant tailings) or trucked (load-and-haul) to the BTRP.
Mining of the Harper North, Harper South and Vantage dams progressed in accordance with the plan. The currently mined Western Cross orebody at the Sheba Mine, lends itself to a bulk mining approach. This will further supplement feed material to the BTRP.
The feed sources supplying the BTRP include the Harper South and Harper North complexes, contributing approximately 60,000t per month to the BTRP. Furthermore, the Vantage TSF and screened low-grade stockpile material add an additional 10,000t per month.
The remaining life-of-mine from current tailings sources is estimated at three years with production declining in the last two years. In the coming years, production at the BTRP is expected to be supplemented with ore from Barberton Mines’ Western Cross and Royal Sheba orebodies, where the extraction of a 10,000t bulk sample was successfully conducted. Mining the Royal Sheba orebody has the potential to increase the BTRP’s life by an estimated eight additional years.
Source:
Summary:
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Source:
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Reserves at June 30, 2023:
Mineral Reserves: Cut-off values are calculated at 0.3g/t for the BTRP.
Mineral Resources: Cut-off values are calculated at 0.2g/t for the BTRP.
Mineral Resources are reported inclusive of Mineral Reserves.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
0.64 Mt
|
Gold
|
1.3 g/t
|
0.03 M oz
|
Probable
|
3.29 Mt
|
Gold
|
3.36 g/t
|
0.36 M oz
|
Proven & Probable
|
3.93 Mt
|
Gold
|
3.03 g/t
|
0.38 M oz
|
Measured
|
5.79 Mt
|
Gold
|
1.56 g/t
|
0.29 M oz
|
Indicated
|
4.27 Mt
|
Gold
|
1.59 g/t
|
0.22 M oz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
10.06 Mt
|
Gold
|
1.57 g/t
|
0.51 M oz
|
Inferred
|
12.65 Mt
|
Gold
|
1 g/t
|
0.41 M oz
|
Total Resource
|
22.7 Mt
|
Gold
|
1.25 g/t
|
0.91 M oz
|
Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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