Name of the Project
Mine Waste Solutions (MWS) extension project.

Location
Stilfontein/Orkney area, in the North West, in South Africa.

Project Owner/s
Harmony Gold Mining Company.

Project Description
MWS was acquired by Harmony Gold in October 2020 and is a gold reclamation operation that treats 2.2-million tonnes a month from historical tailings facilities through the MWS plant.

Residue is deposited on the existing Kareerand tailings storage facility (TSF); however, this facility is running out of tailings deposition capacity.

The Kareerand TSF expansion project involves extending the existing deposition site to allow for the full development of Harmony’s tailings resource in the region. 

Phase 1 (55% of the project) allows for increased storage capacity that will allow for the continued remining of old tailings in the region and extend MWS’s life-of-mine by 15 years to 2040. 
 
The broader expansion plans for MWS include the addition of a fourth processing stream, increasing plant throughput capacity from 25-million tonnes to 28-million tonnes a year. As a result, gold production at MWS is forecast to average an estimated 110 000 oz/y over the life of this operation.

The Phase 2 (45% of the project) scope of work entails completing all outstanding aspects pertaining to the construction of the entire area covered by the Kareerand TSF. This includes the installation of the necessary infrastructure and services to reticulate the tailings for cyclone deposition. 
 
Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
R1.2-billion in major capital expenditure will be deployed at MWS in the 2025 financial year as Harmony completes Phase 1 of the extension. A total of R2.3-billion was allocated to the TSF extension project in the 2024 and 2025 financial years, with the bulk being used to complete Phase 1. 

Planned Start/End Date
Phase 1 was commissioned in October 2024.

Phase 2 is scheduled to be completed and commissioned by the end of the 2025, after which operating free cash flow margins will be further boosted. 

Latest Developments
Harmony Gold has reported that Phase 1 of the Kareerand TSF expansion project has been commissioned and delivered on time and within budget.

The facility has been built in line with the guidelines of the Global Industry Standards on Tailings Management and now covers an area of 900 ha. 
 
Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Harmony Gold Mining Company, tel +27 11 411 2000 or email corporate@harmony.co.za.