Overview
Stage | Restarting |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Breast mining
- Scattered stoping
|
Processing |
- Gravity separation
- Centrifugal concentrator
- Carbon re-activation kiln
- Concentrate leach
- Inline Leach Reactor (ILR)
- Agitated tank (VAT) leaching
- Carbon in leach (CIL)
- Elution
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
- Cyanide (reagent)
|
Mine Life | 21 years (as of Jan 1, 2020) |
Development was stopped in May 2018 due to economics at the time, and the focus has been on establishing underground engineering infrastructure in preparation for a recommencing of mining production and development in 2022. The project has been approved for construction by the Board during March 2021. |
Source:
p. 5
Company | Interest | Ownership |
Sibanye-Stillwater Ltd.
|
100 %
|
Indirect
|
Sibanye Gold Eastern Operations (Pty) Ltd.
(operator)
|
100 %
|
Direct
|
Summary:
Burnstone lies within the Witwatersrand Basin and Archaean (2.7 billion year-old) sedimentary basin. The Basin is filled with approximately 14,000m sedimentary and subordinate volcanic rocks, which have been folded along a north east to south-west axis into an asymmetrical synclinorium. The sediments consist mainly of quartzites and shales and less prevalent, but generally economically important, gold-bearing conglomeratic zones, which occur on regional unconformities. These are commonly referred to as reefs or placers.
Burnstone is located in the South Rand Basin, a subsidiary of the main Witwatersrand Basin. The gold-bearing target UK9 Reef of the Kimberley Formation, occurs in the Central Rand Group of rocks. This reef lies between the outcrop and a depth of 1,300m below surface in the mining right area. Structurally, the project area is located on the northern limb of the arcuate South Rand Basin, which is locally deformed by a east-north-east-plunging anticline and cut by east-west and north-south normal faults, formed in response to the stress regime corresponding to the main structural feature of the region, which is the east-west striking Sugarbush Fault. This fault is a left-lateral wrench fault, which comprises the northern boundary of the South Rand Basin at this point.
Shallow gold deposit exploiting the UK9a Reef of the Kimberley Formation, Central Rand Group, Witwatersrand Supergroup.
The UK9a Reef is a thin (<1m), highly channelised, shallow dipping (<10º) orebody. The minimum mining cut includes waste to a total of 110cm.
Mining Methods
- Breast mining
- Scattered stoping
Summary:
Shallow underground mining project with two established shaft complexes (one vertical and one decline shaft).
Conventional selective scattered breast mining with scraper cleaning and mechanised footwall infrastructure.
Mining Kimberly reef to an average depth of 550m (deepest 1.05km)
Processing
- Gravity separation
- Centrifugal concentrator
- Carbon re-activation kiln
- Concentrate leach
- Inline Leach Reactor (ILR)
- Agitated tank (VAT) leaching
- Carbon in leach (CIL)
- Elution
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
- Cyanide (reagent)
Source:
Summary:
One CIL gold processing plant
Projected Production:
Commodity | Units | Avg. Annual | LOM |
Gold
|
koz
| 138 | 2,000 |
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré.
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | |
Tonnes milled, LOM
| 12,987,192 t * |
Annual ore mining rate
| 1 Mt * |
* According to 2016 study.
Reserves at December 31, 2020:
Mineral Reserve cut-off grade is 380 cm.g/t Au.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
0.9 Mt
|
Gold
|
3.6 g/t
|
0.101 M oz
|
Probable
|
17.7 Mt
|
Gold
|
3.7 g/t
|
2.083 M oz
|
Proven & Probable
|
18.6 Mt
|
Gold
|
3.7 g/t
|
2.184 M oz
|
Measured
|
1.1 Mt
|
Gold
|
6.2 g/t
|
0.225 M oz
|
Indicated
|
20.5 Mt
|
Gold
|
5.3 g/t
|
3.492 M oz
|
Inferred
|
36.4 Mt
|
Gold
|
4.6 g/t
|
5.399 M oz
|
Total Resource
|
58.1 Mt
|
Gold
|
4.9 g/t
|
9.117 M oz
|
Commodity Production Costs:
| Commodity | Units | Average |
Cash costs
|
Gold
|
ZAR
|
...... *
|
Assumed price
|
Gold
|
USD
|
...... *
|
* According to 2021 study / presentation.
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Financials:
| Units | 2017 |
Capital expenditures
|
M ZAR
|
387
|
2021 Study Costs and Valuation Metrics :
Metrics | Units | LOM Total |
After-tax NPV @ 15%
|
$M ZAR
|
......
|
After-tax IRR, %
|
|
......
|
After-tax payback period, years
|
|
......
|
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Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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Aerial view:
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