Qala Shallows represents only Stage 1 of 5 projects stages to be developed by West Wits (WWI) comprising the Witwatersrand Basin Project (WBP).
The Company initiated an Early Works Program at Qala Shallows in October 2021, engaging mining contractor, Modi Mining (Pty) Ltd (“Modi”).
During the Phase One Qala Shallows Early Works Program of the Witwatersrand Basin Project, West Wits established a small-scale mining operation, with the intention of proving the designed mining method, and to put in place underground infrastructure, including the rehabilitation of the existing box-cut and decline, as well as the preparation of decline faces to develop the Life-of-Mine (“LOM”) infrastructure. This allowed the West Wits team to expedite the production profile to allow for a quicker build-up to an increased steady-state production level.
The integrated LOM plan created for the DFS update in August 2022 has been further updated for the following:
- Confirmation of mining blocks immediately available for mining in the old mine area by access, survey and sampling;
- Change to the dip of the orebody based on actual survey measurements;
- Inclusion of additional Mineral Resources previously not accounted for in the LOM plan.
The 2023 mine plan update shows an improvement in production rate, as well as a longer LOM due to an increase in the mining inventory.
It is specifically noted that in undertaking the update to the ........