African Mining January 2020 | Page 53

OPERATIONS  developed a strong relationship with and a good understanding of NAP and its management team and operations. Ownership of NAP will accelerate our progress against a number of key strategic imperatives, and it is Implats’ view that the palladium market will remain in a structural deficit in the medium term, which should lend considerable support to stronger-for-longer pricing,” says Muller. Implats’ extensive mining experience of the Bushveld Complex in South Africa and the Great Dyke of Zimbabwe, will stand them in good stead in the harsh mining conditions of the northern hemisphere. The hard ore bodies of the Bushveld Igneous Complex, and the Great Dyke, for that matter, are not kind to any mining equipment or mining method, no matter where on the formations a venture decides to sink a shaft. The geology is complex, ground conditions are unpredictable, and both the UG2 and Merensky reefs are narrow in places, and dips at angles, which makes it extremely difficult to mechanise conventional operations, like the company’s Rustenburg mine. Yet, throughout the years, Implats has driven a mechanised mindset despite the fact that it has not always been viable, or possible. Meanwhile, they have honed their mining skills, whether conventional or mechanical, and perfected the implementation of their varied mining methods in a complex geological environment. Mining the western limb At Impala Rustenburg (on the western limb of the Bushveld Complex), for example, the Merensky and UG2 reefs are mined concurrently by means of conventional breast mining. Mining extends to a depth of about 1 000m. The stoping width for the Merensky Reef is narrow, typically about 1.3m, and for the UG2 reef even narrower at 1.1m. Panel lengths vary from 15m to 30m for both Merensky and UG2 reefs. Impala CEO, Nico Muller. Impala Rustenburg’s 20 Shaft capital project was concluded in 2019. www. africanmining.co.za African Mining Publication African Mining African Mining  January 2020  51