A T L A T S A
R E S O U R C E S
concentrate sale agreement. While the company is still officially in a ramping-up phase to fully optimise the vast resource base, recent years have seen an early market pick-up in terms of production volumes, as Motaung reflects: “The Bokoni Mine achieved its highest production volume since 2006 with a 14 percent increase in total tonnes milled and 4E PGM ounces in 2014, from the 2013 financial year. “The mine achieved its 160,000 tonnes per month (tpm) of concentrator milling capacity in 2014 so there is a positive PGM production trajectory.” The well-developed sunken infrastructure of the Bokoni Mine, incorporating the development of the two new generation shafts, is expected to ensure a total steady-state production of 160,000tpm by 2020. “Capital investments on these two shafts will cost approximately CAD$110 million in the next six years,” the CEO adds.
Increased scale of operations
As well as a fast-evolving mining
C O R P O R A T I O N
company, Atlatsa is also keen to explore opportunities in the exploration space in the BIC region, incorporating a 2002 agreement with Rustenberg Platinum Mines to acquire up to an 80 percent interest in 12 PGM properties located on the northern limb of the BIC. The Company is subsequently investigating opportunities on these properties, including those of Kwanda, Central Block and Rietfontein, as Motaung notes: “As a small operator, the focus is on expansion development to increase the scale of the operations such that majority of fixed costs are absorbed and the mine moves down the cost curve graph. “This will hopefully see an evolution of Atlatsa from a junior to a mid-tier PGM producer.” Effectively owning 51 percent of the Kwanda Projects, a previously Bokoni Holdco-owned operation, Atlatsa is consequently in the process of sharing information and conducting exploration activities in the area; leveraging the knowledge of the wider BIC area and its already significant progress occurring in the Eastern Limb.
HLABIRWA JV
H
LABIRWA JV is an emerging 100% black owned company and was born out of a jointventure transaction between Ranmak Consulting and Hlabirwa Mining Services Ltd. The company brings to bear their in-depth knowledge of the mining, finance and IT industries, and a broad range of skills gained from more than 14 years’ experience working in different prominent mining & IT portfolio companies in South Africa, Botswana, DRC and Zambia. HLABIRWA JV offers mining services in the areas of underground stoping and development, vamping/sweeping, stope equipping & conveyor belt operations. The company is able to deliver a complete service to meet, manage and deliver on the full spectrum of mining requirements for projects of any scale. As a result of the company’s broad experience, HLABIRWA JV is able to provide services in a range of disciplines accurately and diligently to deliver on time while ensuring compliance with relevant norms.
About Malope Selepe (Mr) The founder and chairman of the company, Mr Selepe started his mining career in 1995 as a learner official. He has been involved with the management and production of mining operations throughout Africa in both production and project capacities. He has established & successfully managed Hlabirwa Mining Services (Pty) Ltd to full operation at Bokoni Platinum Mine.
T 079 807 8310 079 562 5896 E selepemalope@gmail.com
www.hlabirwa.co.za
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