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botswana
P
utting Botswana’s mining industry in context,
economist Dr Keith Jefferis of Econsult Bo-
tswana said that mineral exports were project-
ed to grow steadily till they plateaued at around Pula
65 billion in 2021. He predicted a considerable drop
from around 2026 onwards, as diamond resources
depleted. He said that coal would become increas-
ingly important as a source of export earnings over
the next 10 to 15 years but cautioned that coal exports
would be unlikely to ever generate the revenues his-
torically associated with diamonds. He also said that
government revenues from mining would drop quite
precipitously in the late 2020s with the decline in
the diamond sector, a result of coal and other miner-
als being far less lucrative from a fiscal perspective
than diamonds. He concluded that Botswana needed
to start preparing for a life after diamonds.
Modular breakthrough
Of the presentations on diamond exploration and
mining at the conference, one of the most interesting
dealt with the new Modular Tailings Treatment Plant
(MTTP) at Jwaneng mine. The presenter was Benja-
min Baeletse, Group Manager – Process Engineering
at Debswana, who said the new facility – currently
under construction by EPCM contractor ADP Projects
– would be able to treat 2,4 Mt/a and produce 18 mil-
Diversity
on the way
for
Botswana mining
While this year’s Botswana Resource Sector Conference – held in Gaborone on 11 and 12 June – attracted a
healthy number of delegates (around 370), the mood at the event was definitely more subdued than in previ-
ous years, reflecting the global downturn in mining. Nevertheless, the presentations at the conference empha-
sised the fact that Botswana – long regarded as a ‘one-trick pony’ because of its dependence on diamonds
– has considerable minerals potential, with copper and coal (and, to a lesser extent, uranium) offering the
prospect of a more diversified mining sector in the future, once market conditions improve and infrastruc-
tural constraints are removed.
Modern Mining’s
Arthur Tassell attended the conference and reports here on
some of the highlights of the event.
lion carats over 20 years. He noted that the plant had
been designed for easy replication at other Debswana
sites and was, in a sense, a ‘proof of concept’ project
which would herald “a new frontier in marginal re-
source exploitation.”
Baeletse said the pre-assembly and testing of all
structures and equipment was designed to eliminate
site erection difficulties, reduce overall construction
time and ensure reliable operation on commissioning.
He added that the modular concept made the design
ideal for remote sites with minimal infrastructure and
that it reduced the skill levels needed on site during
construction. He also pointed out that plants of this
type would have a low impact on the environment.
He said the use of modules built on boxed steel skid
frames reduced the need for on-site concrete founda-
tions and he stressed that minimal site rehabilitation
would be required at plant closure.
Ghaghoo through the sand
Another diamond project currently under construc-
tion in Botswana is the Ghaghoo diamond mine in the
Central Kalahari, which was covered in a presenta-
tion by Haile Mphusu, MD of Gem Diamonds Botswa-
na. Ghaghoo, which will enter operation in mid-2014
with an initial production of 230 000 carats a year,
will be Botswana’s first underground diamond mine.
