Overview
Stage | Permitting |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
- PGM
- Platinum
- Palladium
- Rhodium
- Ruthenium
- Iridium
- Gold
- Nickel
- Copper
|
Mining Method |
- Sub-level open stoping (SLOS)
- Longhole open stoping
- Pillar extraction
|
Mine Life | 25 years (as of Jan 1, 2021) |
The Mphahlele Project is development stage underground PGM Project on the northern part of the Eastern Limb of the Bushveld Complex. |
Source:
p. 5
The Sedibelo Resources Limited holds 75% of Mphahlele Project.
Contractors
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Deposit Type
- Magmatic
- Intrusion related
Summary:
The Bushveld Complex (BC) is a magmatic layered mafic intrusion. As one of the largest known differentiated igneous bodies, it hosts world class deposits of PGMs, Ni, Cu, Cr and V.
The Mphahlele deposit is situated along the east-west trending, northern part of the Eastern Limb of the BC. The PGM mineralization occurs within the UG2 and the Merensky (MR), lying within the Upper Critical Zone of the RLS.
The rocks of the Main Zone and the upper parts of the Critical Zone underlie the Mphahlele project. The main structural controls of the northern parts of the Eastern Limb are the Wonderkop and Dwarsrand faults which traverse the Mphahlele project. East of the project, in the vicinity of the Lebowa Platinum Mine (previously known as Atok), the igneous stratigraphy is shallow dipping with a northwesterly strike. West of the faulted region, the Critical Zone trends east-west and on the Mphahlele project dips at an average of 51°, which increases to near vertical, 20 km to the west at Lonmin Platinum’s Limpopo mine.
The main Mineral Resource block of the Mphahlele project is underlain by the Main Zone and the Critical Zone of the RLS. There are no outcrops of either reef because a large alluvial fan emanating from the hills of Transvaal sediments to the north covers the Critical Zone on the Mphahlele project. Aeromagnetic data indicate that the MR and the UG2 continue for an estimated strike length of almost 8 km through the Mphahlele area and ter ........
Mining Methods
- Sub-level open stoping (SLOS)
- Longhole open stoping
- Pillar extraction
Summary:
Both the Merensky (MR) and UG2 reefs underlie the project lease area. The depth below surface to the subcrop of the two reefs varies across the property, from approximately 47 mbs in the west to approximately 30 mbs in the east (40 mbs on average).
The UG2 extends approximately 8 000 m on strike with an average dip of 51º towards the south. Only the UG2 is targeted for production at this stage.
Production rate
The production schedule provides for 95% of the waste (dilution) mined to be removed from the ore stream by the Rados system. The system is unlikely to be 100% efficient, so a 2% metal loss has been applied to the Rados system.
Linear panel advance rate is planned at approximately 16.8 m per month. Each stope consists of three panels (on dip) mining towards the central point of the stope from the east and west sides (i.e., six panels per stope). Stoping production rates are planned at an average of 252 m² per month. Approximately twelve stopes (six panels per stope) will be required to provide sufficient ore to maintain the production rate.
Stoping operations will follow an overhand sequence. The general mining direction within a stope will be from the sides of the stoping block towards to the centre. Slot raises for all panels will be established before the stoping can commence. Upper panels will lead lower panels by approximately 5 m.
Mine Access
Access to the Block A and Block B mining blocks is ac ........
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Flow Sheet:
Summary:
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Pipelines and Water Supply
Source:
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Projected Production:
Commodity | Product | Units | Avg. Annual | LOM |
PGM
|
Concentrate
|
kt
| | 444 |
Platinum
|
Payable metal
|
koz
| | ...... |
Palladium
|
Payable metal
|
koz
| | ...... |
Rhodium
|
Payable metal
|
koz
| | ...... |
Ruthenium
|
Payable metal
|
koz
| | ...... |
Iridium
|
Payable metal
|
koz
| | ...... |
Gold
|
Payable metal
|
koz
| | ...... |
Nickel
|
Payable metal
|
kt
| | ...... |
Copper
|
Payable metal
|
kt
| | ...... |
4E (Pt, Pd, Rh, Au)
|
Payable metal
|
koz
| ...... | ...... |
6E (Pt,Pd,Rh,Au,Ir,Ru)
|
Payable metal
|
koz
| | ...... |
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | |
Annual processing capacity
| ...... |
Ore tonnes mined, LOM
| ...... |
Tonnes processed, LOM
| ...... |
* According to 2021 study.
Reserves at December 31, 2021:
Mineral Reserves are reported at a cut-off grade of 2.3 g/t 4E based on a 4E basket price of USD1 936/oz and a plant recovery of 83%.
Mineral Resources are reported above a cut-off of 1.80 g/t 4E for the Merensky and 1.38 g/t 4E for the UG2.
Mineral Resources are reported inclusive of Mineral Reserves.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Probable
|
30.3 Mt
|
Platinum
|
1.85 g/t
|
|
Probable
|
30.3 Mt
|
Palladium
|
1.39 g/t
|
|
Probable
|
30.3 Mt
|
Rhodium
|
0.32 g/t
|
|
Probable
|
30.3 Mt
|
Ruthenium
|
0.59 g/t
|
|
Probable
|
30.3 Mt
|
Iridium
|
0.13 g/t
|
|
Probable
|
30.3 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.07 g/t
|
|
Probable
|
30.3 Mt
|
Nickel
|
0.09 %
|
26.67 kt
|
Probable
|
30.3 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.05 %
|
12.2 kt
|
Probable
|
30.3 Mt
|
4E (Pt, Pd, Rh, Au)
|
3.63 g/t
|
3.57 M oz
|
Probable
|
30.3 Mt
|
6E (Pt,Pd,Rh,Au,Ir,Ru)
|
4.36 g/t
|
4.24 M oz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
49.2 Mt
|
Platinum
|
2.23 g/t
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
49.2 Mt
|
Palladium
|
1.59 g/t
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
49.2 Mt
|
Rhodium
|
0.31 g/t
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
49.2 Mt
|
Ruthenium
|
0.75 g/t
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
49.2 Mt
|
Iridium
|
0.16 g/t
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
49.2 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.16 g/t
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
49.2 Mt
|
Nickel
|
0.15 %
|
72,192 kt
|
Measured & Indicated
|
49.2 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.09 %
|
42,259 kt
|
Measured & Indicated
|
49.2 Mt
|
4E (Pt, Pd, Rh, Au)
|
4.3 g/t
|
6.79 M oz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
49.2 Mt
|
6E (Pt,Pd,Rh,Au,Ir,Ru)
|
5.21 g/t
|
8.24 M oz
|
Inferred
|
65.2 Mt
|
Platinum
|
2.17 g/t
|
|
Inferred
|
65.2 Mt
|
Palladium
|
1.53 g/t
|
|
Inferred
|
65.2 Mt
|
Rhodium
|
0.27 g/t
|
|
Inferred
|
65.2 Mt
|
Ruthenium
|
0.75 g/t
|
|
Inferred
|
65.2 Mt
|
Iridium
|
0.15 g/t
|
|
Inferred
|
65.2 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.19 g/t
|
|
Inferred
|
65.2 Mt
|
Nickel
|
0.16 %
|
101,455 kt
|
Inferred
|
65.2 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.1 %
|
62,085 kt
|
Inferred
|
65.2 Mt
|
4E (Pt, Pd, Rh, Au)
|
4.16 g/t
|
8.72 M oz
|
Inferred
|
65.2 Mt
|
6E (Pt,Pd,Rh,Au,Ir,Ru)
|
5.06 g/t
|
10.61 M oz
|
Commodity Production Costs:
| Commodity | Average |
Cash costs
|
4E (Pt, Pd, Rh, Au)
|
......
|
Assumed price
|
6E (Pt,Pd,Rh,Au,Ir,Ru)
|
......
|
* According to 2021 study / presentation.
Operating Costs:
| Units | 2021 |
Processing costs ($/t milled)
|
ZAR
| 232.1 * |
Total operating costs ($/t milled)
|
ZAR
| ...... |
* According to 2021 study.
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2021 Study Costs and Valuation Metrics :
Metrics | Units | LOM Total |
Closure costs
|
$M ZAR
|
......
|
Total CapEx
|
$M ZAR
|
......
|
UG OpEx
|
$M ZAR
|
......
|
Processing OpEx
|
$M ZAR
|
8,096
|
Transportation (haulage) costs
|
$M ZAR
|
142
|
G&A costs
|
$M ZAR
|
3,891
|
Total OpEx
|
$M ZAR
|
......
|
Income Taxes
|
$M ZAR
|
......
|
Royalty payments
|
$M ZAR
|
......
|
Net revenue (LOM)
|
$M ZAR
|
......
|
Operating margin, %
|
|
......
|
After-tax Cash Flow (LOM)
|
$M ZAR
|
......
|
After-tax NPV @ 9%
|
$M ZAR
|
......
|
After-tax IRR, %
|
|
......
|
After-tax payback period, years
|
|
......
|
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Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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