Mining Intelligence and News
South Africa

Beatrix Mine

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Overview

Mine TypeUnderground
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Uranium
Mining Method
  • Breast mining
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe Beatrix operation is a mature, shallow to intermediate-level underground gold operation. The Beatrix operation consists of two operating shafts: No. 1 shaft and No. 3 shaft. Beatrix No. 4 shaft was closed in early 2023 and is being placed on care and maintenance.

Life extension opportunities are limited, but No. 1 shaft is being kept open on an incremental value contribution basis, and is not included in the official LoM plan.

The Beisa uranium Mineral Resource is contained in the Beisa reef, that occurs in the western portion (No. 4 shaft) of the Beatrix operation’s mining right. A pre-feasibility study was concluded in 2023 into the option of re-starting gold and uranium co-production by accessing the Beisa reef from Beatrix 4 shaft. The economic and technical feasibility of this project is being monitored on an ongoing basis, and it remains an important strategic uranium development opportunity under favourable market conditions.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Sibanye-Stillwater Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Sibanye-Stillwater owns and manages 100% Beatrix operation.

Deposit type

  • Conglomerate hosted

Summary:

Beatrix is a deep level underground gold mine located along the northern and southwestern margins of the Witwatersrand Basin in South Africa. This mine is typical of the many Witwatersrand Basin operations, which have been the primary contributors to South Africa’s production of a significant portion of the world’s recorded gold output since 1886.

The orebodies at Beatrix are laterally continuous with relatively long-range predictability. This lends to clear patterns of mineralisation governed by sedimentary characteristics.

The Beatrix Reef (BR) was originally exploited as the main orebody, but has since changed, with the main production coming from the VS5 (Elsburg Formation), the Aandenk (AAR) and Kalkoenkrans (KKR) Composite Reefs.

In general, the Composite VS5/AAR Reefs ranges between 130cm and 350cm in width. The orebody is shallow dipping at 10º – 15º, with typical open fold structures. In most cases the reefs are deemed to be bottom loaded, with most of the gold grade concentrated along the basal contact.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Production

CommodityUnits202320222021202020192018201720162015
Gold koz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe197275292323325
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré.

Operational metrics

Metrics202320222021202020192018201720162015
Tonnes milled  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe2,489 kt2,952 kt3,515 kt4,333 kt4,319 kt

Production Costs

CommodityUnits2023202220212020201920182017
Total cash costs (sold) Gold USD 1,017 / oz  
All-in sustaining costs (sold) Gold USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 1,474 / oz **   1,226 / oz **   1,175 / oz **  
All-in costs Gold USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 1,475 / oz **   1,226 / oz **   1,176 / oz **  
** Net of By-Product.

Operating Costs

Currency20172016
Total operating costs ($/t milled) ZAR 1,124  866  

Financials

Units2023202220212020201920182017
Sustaining costs M ZAR  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 70.5   83   63.1  
Capital expenditures M ZAR  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 305.8   481   545.6  
Growth Capital M ZAR  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Revenue M ZAR  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 3,798   4,601   4,876  
Gross profit M ZAR 923  
Operating Income M ZAR
Pre-tax Income M ZAR  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
After-tax Income M ZAR  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe -853.7   -185.5   -419.1  
EBITDA M ZAR  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Book Value M ZAR  ....  Subscribe

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 2, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 2, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 2, 2024

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2023
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2022
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2021
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2020
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2019
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2018
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2017
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2016
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2015

Aerial view:

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