Name of the Project
Eland mine complex.

Location
South-eastern portion of the western limb of the Bushveld Complex, near Brits, in South Africa’s North West province.

Project Owner/s
Northam Platinum Holdings Limited.

Project Description
Northam acquired the Eland mine from Glencore for R175-million in 2017.

The Eland mine had been on care and maintenance since 2015. Two decline systems, Kukama and Nyala, accessed three mining levels on the upper group two (UG2) reef and these were fully equipped. Operations were restarted in 2019, following the conclusion of a feasibility study on the Kukama project, particularly the western decline system and mining section of Eland UG2 mine.

The operations comprised the development of the underground mine on a hybrid array of conventional breast stoping and mechanised ore transport using hydropower technology imported from Northam’s Zondereinde mine.

Eland hosts a shallow, UG2 orebody containing 14.4-million ounces of platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold, or 4E, resources and 3.2-million ounces of mineral reserves. Mineral resources and reserves include those contained within the Maroelabult mine, which was acquired from Barplats Mines in 2020.

Maroelabult is situated immediately west of Eland, and underground development from the Kukama decline has connected with that of the Maroelabult decline, which is aiding the provision of underground services, as well as the build-up of mineable reserve.

The inclusion of Maroelabult will enhance Eland mine’s ramp-up, which will produce 180 000 oz/y 4E in concentrate at steady state by 2028.

Potential Job Creation
Eland currently employs 2 900 people. At steady state in 2028, the mine will provide direct, long-term employment for more than 2 500 people.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
Total capital expenditure is estimated to reach R4.5-billion by 2028; R3.8-billion has been spent to date.

Planned Start/End Date
Mine development started in 2020. Production is forecast to reach 100 000 oz/y of 4E in the 2025 financial year and will increase to a steady state of 180 000 oz/y by the 2028 financial year.

Latest developments
Prevailing market conditions have resulted in decline development being temporarily suspended to focus on strike and raise development, increase mineable reserves and allow for the ramp-up of stoping production, Northam has reported in its ‘Annual Integrated Report 2024’. 

To date, the decline systems have been advanced 2 900 m, which is on plan and have accessed ten strike drives. The mine requires 11 strike drives for steady-state production and, thus, the temporary suspension of decline development has had little or no detrimental impact on the medium- or long-term mining profile. Current
planning is to restart development of the declines in the 2025 financial year.

Strike development has also connected underground workings of the Kukama section with Maroelabult and Nyala, which has enhanced the provision of underground services, as well as the build-up of mineable reserve. 

Lateral development has started at the Nyala section to limit mining in the medium term.

During the 2024 financial year, stoping of the UG2 reef continued in the upper western portion of the mine, with more than 103 900 m2 mined to date. 

The number of stoping crews has increased to 26, in line with the scheduled ramp-up.

Batch treatment of run-of-mine (RoM) ore sources is ongoing, together with third-party surface material and the retreatment of tailings from the Eland TSF. Concentrator recoveries for RoM ore are in line with expectations and volumes will increase as ramp-up continues to steady state.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
R&A Strategic Communications, on behalf of Northam Platinum, tel +27 11 880 3924 or email northam@rasc.co.za.