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.
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African Mining January 2020
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