In conversation with
marine embayments, when sea levels were higher than they are
now. This means that they are typically shallow and sandy-type
deposits mined by free digging, often using excavators and trucks.
The processing requirements are dictated by the resource grade
(percentage of P2O5 in situ). Elandsfontein and Hinda require
flotation to upgrade the ore to a saleable product (+31% P2O5),
while the high-grade Aflao deposit would simply require washing
and classification to produce an attractive end product.
Other than the Elandsfontein deposit, does South Africa have
other significant phosphate deposits? If so, where are they
located and what is the quality of these deposits?
Besides Foskor’s igneous deposit at Phalaborwa in Limpopo, most
other South African deposits are sedimentary in nature, located
along the West Coast. Elandsfontein is the largest sedimentary
deposit in the country.
How do the phosphates in the Congo and Togo differ from what
those at Elandsfontein?
As mentioned above, all Kropz’s deposits are sedimentary in
nature and therefore shallow, sandy-type deposits. The main
difference between Hinda and Elandsfontein is the size – Hinda
is almost eight times larger than Elandsfontein – and the in-situ
grade is higher than that of Elandsfontein. The Ghanaian deposit
is a high-grade deposit, that will require simple, and low-cost
beneficiation to produce a saleable product.
It has been a long hard road to get Elandsfontein up and running;
what were specific highlights for you, and what were the most
significant challenges?
For me, one of the key highlights is being part of a team
that has been able to develop a mining project that is
environmentally sustainable and will make a positive difference
in the community when it gets into operation. Besides the
technical challenges, I think the biggest issue has been trying
to convince people (who often seem as if they are simply not
prepared to listen to sound facts and reason) that mining can be
done in a sustainable and responsible manner, and to the benefit
of all stakeholders.
In hindsight, what would you have done differently?
I would have insisted that we focused as much on the mining and
processing aspects of the project as we did on understanding, and
catering for, our potential environmental impacts.
What would you advise a young entrepreneur who’s looking at
developing phosphate deposits in Africa?
Our Elandsfontein experience, together with the
engagement of a considerable number of global
phosphate experts, has taught us that no two
phosphate deposits are alike. So, my first piece of
advice would be to make sure you really know
and understand the deposit. I’d also look
carefully at infrastructure – as is the case
with so many African mining projects,
access to ports and global markets can
often make or break a project.
www.africanmining.co.za
Please can you give a short summary of how Kropz dealt with the
water issues at Elandsfontein?
The deposit at Elandsfontein lies below the water table, within the
Elandsfontein aquifer, which slowly flows towards the Geelbek
portion of the Langebaan Lagoon. After numerous engagements
and studies with various leading ground water specialists and the
DWS, we installed a series of boreholes around the mining area to
draw down the water table to below the phosphate deposit. This
then allows the phosphate to be mined safely. The aquifer is then
recharged downstream of the mining area, with the same water
that was pumped away from the mining area, which continues on
its natural flow path towards the lagoon. We have established an
extensive ground water monitoring network to monitor the water
quantities and quality both before and after pumping, to ensure that
the mine has no impact on this water resource. These monitoring
results are presented to a Water Monitoring Committee, which
includes representatives from all key stakeholders, and are
attracting a good deal of interest as they have resulted in a constant
improvement in the understanding of the local aquifer systems
on the West Coast. Importantly, to date, monitoring results show
that our dewatering and recharging of the aquifer is having no
detrimental effects on either the aquifer or the lagoon.
Please can you give us an update at Elandsfontein?
Is the project progressing as planned?
Following the listing, funds were raised to implement some
required modifications to the circuit. The test work to confirm the
changes is almost complete, and the detailed design is under way.
The circuit modifications include an upgrade to the water circuit,
through the inclusion of an additional tailings thickener and water
filter. The milling circuit efficiency has been improved through
the inclusion of screens to replace existing cyclones, and flotation
capacity has been increased to cater for lower grade ore. These
changes are all accommodated in the existing plant footprint.
Tell us more about the projects in the Congo and Togo and the
latest news about their development.
Hinda is a sedimentary phosphate deposit, approximately 40km
northwest of Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo. The mining
right covers 263.68km2 of the country’s coastal basin.
Previously owned by a company called Cominco, it is believed
to be the world’s largest undeveloped phosphate reserve, with a
substantial JORC-compliant Mineral Resource base totalling
675Mt at a grade of 10%.
Hinda is supported by a substantial body of mineral processing test
work. A definitive feasibility study, completed in 2015, targeted the
production of 4.1Mtpa of phosphate concentrate at a grade of 32%
P2O5. Using the technical and economic parameters defined, the
unleveraged NPV (10% discount rate) was USD1.85-billion, with
an associated IRR of 38%.
Kropz believes that, given the long-term supply/demand
conditions of the phosphate market and current market conditions,
a smaller-scaled project targeting production of approximately
1.5Mtpa can be developed for a significantly lower level of upfront
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