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South Africa
Cullinan Mine

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 Location:
25 km E from Pretoria, South Africa

  Address:
1 Oak Avenue
Private Bag X1015
Cullinan
South Africa
1000
Phone  ...  Subscription required
Fax(012)-305 2661
WebsiteWeb
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  • Overview
  • Owners
  • Geology
  • Processing
  • Production
  • Reserves
  • Costs & Financials
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

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Overview

StageProduction
Mine TypeUnderground
Commodities
  • Diamond
Mining Method
  • Block caving
Processing
  • Dense media separation
  • X-Ray sorting
Mine Life50 years (as of Jan 1, 2021)
Cullinan is Renowned for producing large, high-quality white and very rare blue diamonds. One of the world’s most celebrated diamond mines.


Owners

Source: p. 167
CompanyInterestOwnership
Petra Diamonds Ltd. 78.4 % Indirect
Petra Diamonds Ltd.: 74%
Kago Diamonds (Pty) Ltd: 14%
Itumeleng Petra Diamonds Employee Trust (IPDET): 12%.
The IPDET holds a 12% interest in each of the Group’s South African operations, with Petra’s commercial BEE Partners holding the remaining 14% interest through their respective shareholdings in Kago Diamonds, in which Petra has a 31.46% interest. The effective interest percentages of Petra Diamonds attributable to Cullinan is 78.4%.

Deposit Type

  • Kimberlite


Summary:

The pipe intruded rocks of the Transvaal Supergroup as well as igneous rocks of the Bushveld Igneous Complex. The kimberlite has been radiometrically dated at 1179 ± 36 Ma using Rb–Sr in clinopyroxene and 1202 ± 72 Ma using U–Pb in perovskite. The pipe is itself intruded by a gabbro sill of 1150 Ma.

The internal geology of the pipe was first described by Wagner who noted the presence of a “floating reef” of Waterberg quartzite which occurred in the middle of the pipe and was associated with a considerable rubble zone of rounded quartzite and sandstone boulders. These Waterberg quartzite inclusions indicated the presence of this formation at the time of emplacement, but which has since been eroded from the area. Later geological work identified the presence of a number of discrete kimberlite varieties that included two major types of TKB, named the “Brown” and “Grey” kimberlites. The large floating reef referred to above occurred within the Grey Kimberlite along the boundary with the Brown. In addition, a central complex that consisted of several phases of kimberlite occurred within the Grey. This was referred to as the Black Kimberlite, which has an associated variety called the Piebald Kimberlite. The last phase of magmatism was the intrusion of carbonate-rich dykes.


Mining Methods

  • Block caving


Summary:


Crushing and Grinding
Flow Sheet: Source
Crusher / Mill TypeModelSizePowerQuantity
Jaw crusher 1
High Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGR) 1
AG mill 1

Summary:

The new plant utilises gentler processing methods (comminution via attrition) instead of extensive crushing in the form of autogenous milling and high pressure grinding rolls, which are expected to reduce diamond breakage and improve recoveries across the full spectrum of diamonds, including the larger/exceptional stones for which the mine is rewnowned (the top-cut of 75mm will cater for diamonds of +3,000 carats, such as the Cullinan diamond).


Processing

  • Dense media separation
  • X-Ray sorting

Flow Sheet: Subscription required

Summary:

In September 2017, Petra completed the construction and commissioning of a modern, fit-for-purpose processing plant at Cullinan, with a throughput capacity of 6 Mtpa.

This has replaced the previous plant at Cullinan, which was originally commissioned in 1947 and which had undergone numerous refurbishments over the years. Due to its age and operational complexity, it had become expensive to maintain, requiring significant stay-in-business capex, and costly to operate, particularly given the large size of its 26 ha footprint. The plant was also based on old crushing technology, which is known to impact large stone recoveries as while diamond is the hardest substance known to man, it cannot take impact and therefore very large stones can be shattered using conventional processing techniques. At the same time, the energy efficiency of the old plant was not aligned with the Company’s vision.

The design of the new plant was therefore planned to address these shortc ........

Recoveries & Grades:

CommodityParameter2021202020192018201720162015
Diamond Head Grade, carats/t  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required0.360.360.280.24

Production:
The Company is not able to precisely measure the ROM/tailings grade split because ore from both sources is processed through the same plant; the Company therefore back-calculates the grade with reference to resource grades.

CommodityUnits2022202120202019201820172016
Diamond carats  ......  Subscription required ^  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required1,368,720786,509680,813
All production numbers are expressed as mineral. ^ Guidance / Forecast.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics202220212020201920182017
Ore tonnes mined  ......  Subscription required
Tonnes processed  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required5,075,441 t4,153,835 t2,389,087 t
Annual processing capacity  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required6 Mt
^ Guidance / Forecast.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Reserves at June 30, 2021:
Resource bottom cut-off: 1.0mm.
Reserve bottom cut-off: 1.0mm.

CategoryTonnage CommodityGradeContained carats
Probable 38.6 Mt Diamond 0.388 carats/t 14.97 M carats
Indicated 224 Mt Diamond 0.592 carats/t 132.63 M carats
Inferred 169.5 Mt Diamond 0.101 carats/t 17.19 M carats
Total Resource 393.6 Mt Diamond 0.381 carats/t 149.82 M carats

Operating Costs:

Units2021202020192018201720162015
Total operating costs ($/t milled) ZAR 260270234239316257154

Financials:

Units2022202120202019201820172016
Capital expenditures (planned) M USD  ......  Subscription required
Sustaining costs M USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required6.5   4.3   7.3  
Capital expenditures M USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required73.9   151.2   179.4  
Revenue M USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required167   91.3   83.3  
Subscription required - Subscription is required


Heavy Mobile Equipment:

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 26, 2021
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 26, 2021
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 26, 2021
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Staff:

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
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

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
Annual Report 2018
Sustainability Report 2018
Annual Report 2017
Sustainability Report 2017
Annual Report 2016
Corporate Presentation 2016
Project Description 2016
Environmental Assessment 2012
Project Description 2008
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Aerial view:

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