Name of the Project
Ferrochrome Furnaces (FCF) smelting complex refurbishment.

Location
Rustenburg, in South Africa’s North West province.

Project Owner/s
In 2022, exploration and development company Ironveld agreed to the acquisition of the FCF smelter complex in Rustenburg. The business name will be changed to Bokone Smelting.  

Project Description
Ironveld announced in July 2022 that it planned to refurbish the FCF smelting complex comprising four 2.5 MW tilting electric arc furnaces (EAFs), four convertors with ladles, cranes and associated buildings and equipment. The project will bring three of the four EAFs into production on a phased basis.

At full capacity the Rustenburg operations are expected to produce about 20 000 t/y of high-purity iron; 180 t/y of vanadium metal contained in slag; and an estimated 3 600 t of titanium metal contained in slag.

The fourth furnace at the Rustenburg complex is planned as spare capacity during routine maintenance of the other three furnaces and when not required for this may be used for third-party testwork or toll treatment.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
The project is estimated at R40-million, including contingencies. Further upgrades to the plant totalling an estimated R25-million are planned in future when funding allows.

Planned Start/End Date
The refurbishment project was substantially completed by the end of 2023.

Latest Developments
The smelter facility remains on care and maintenance while design studies are performed. A third-party consultant with extensive experience and expertise in water-based atomisation has made significant progress on the design phase of a pilot plant at the smelter complex.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Ironveld, tel +44 20 7138 3204 or email contact@ironveld.com.