Issue 145 - FREE
15 September 2017
the good news paper
017 631 1903 / 017 631 1845 • admin@thebulletin.co.za • 1 Kiewiet Street, Secunda (Lake Umuzi)
R1.7 Billion Investment in Evander
Pan African Resources broke first ground on Friday, 8 September at its R1.7 Billion Elikhulu Tailings Retreatment project in Evander, officially marking the start of construction of the plant which is expected to produce an average of 50000 ounces of gold per year for the next 13 years. Speaking at the sod-turning ceremony, Pan African Resources CEO Cobus Loots said: “Elikhulu’s capital expenditure of approximately R1.7 billion (approximately US$130 million) is a substantial investment in the South African mining industry and is expected to contribute materially to economic development and employment in the Mpumalanga province. Elikhulu is scheduled to produce first gold in the final quarter of the 2018 calendar year and deliver an average of 50,000 ounces per annum for the next 13 years, at an allin sustaining cost of less than US$550/ ounce.” The Elikhulu project entails establishing facilities and infrastructure at Evander Gold Mining (Proprietary) Limited, owned and operated by Pan African Resources, to retreat historic gold plant tailings at a rate of 1-million tonnes per month. Three existing tailings storage facilities will be reclaimed, in the following order: Kinross, Leslie and Winkelhaak. The three tailing facilities will, after processing, be consolidated into a single enlarged Kinross facility, thus reducing Evander Mines’ environmental footprint and associated environmental impact. Pan African Resources’ Evander Tailings Retreatment Plant (ETRP) exploits historically generated gold tailings deposited in the Kinross tailings storage facility and surface sources. It has a capacity of 20,000 ounces of gold per year, and a tonnage capacity of 2.4-million per year. The gold is extracted at a carbonin-leach hybrid plant. The ETRP will continue to operate independently of the Elikhulu project for the next 13 years. Pan African Resources is a mid-tier African-focused precious metals producer with a production capacity of more than 200,000 ounces of gold per annum. The Sod Turning Ceremony was well attended by a number of dignitaries that included the MEC: Finance, Economic development & Tourism in Mpumalanga, Honourable MEC Eric Kholwane. The Director General: Department of mineral resources,
CEO Cobus Loots, MEC Eric Kholwane and DD Advocate Thabo Mokoena
Google Maps view of the Elikhulu Tailings project site in Evander.
Advocate Thabo Mokoena as well as a representative of the National Union of Mineworkers. The NUMSA representative’s message dwelled on the issue of dialogue and that the mine should have a dialogue with the Unions on how it will benefit
its people. Advocate Mokoena spoke mainly about job security and how the challenge of retrenchments can be addressed. The MEC dwelled on the role of traditional leaders and their role in establishing the ANC. He also spoke
about the history of Evander gold mines. The issue of unemployment is also discussed. In a subtle hint of maybe things to come the MEC said that where men leads there have always been wars, maybe it’s time for woman to lead.