June 2014
MODERN MINING
5
MINING News
Galane Gold, listed on the Toronto Venture
Exchange, reports that due to a failure of
the SAG mill motor at its Mupane gold
mine in Botswana, mill production is
expected to be at approximately 70 % of
planned levels for a period of eight to 18
weeks.
The faulty motor has been replaced
with an emergency spare that has 60 %
of the capacity of the replaced motor.
The company is currently reviewing the
best option to resolve the issue. Several
replacement motors have been identified
which could be at site within several weeks
or alternatively the faulty motor can be
repaired which could take up to 18 weeks.
Company management is optimistic that
the 18-week estimate is conservative.
Says Ravi Sood, Galane Gold’s CEO:“The
failure of our SAG mill motor is a disap-
pointing setback given the improvements
we have seen in the last two quarters but
represents a normal course challenge in
the business. We have the flexibility to
adjust production during this time period
to minimise the financial impact of the
Copper SX/EWworkshop to be held in Chingola
CM Solutions will be hosting its second
Copper SX/EW (solvent extraction and elec-
trowinning) Workshop at the Protea hotel
in, Chingola, Zambia, from 21-24 July 2014.
This is in direct response to a need for
knowledge exchange in this highly spe-
cialised area of hydrometallurgy and will
help address the skills shortage in Zambian
mining.
“It is a fantastic opportunity for engi-
neers in the Copperbelt to take advantage
of the world-class expertise of Dr Kathy Sole
and Dr Frank Crundwell, who between them
have over 50 years’ experience. Attendees
will practise the principles of their learn-
ing through case studies and discussion
groups, exposing delegates to operational
knowledge from around the world,”says CM
Solutions.
This event is aimed at engineers, met-
allurgical staff and managers employed
in copper operations in Zambia and last
year attracted delegates from Chambishi,
Kansanshi and BASF. No prior knowledge of
SX or EW is required.
Additional information can be found at:
or
by e-mailing
.
Mill motor failure affects production at Mupane
The processing plant at the Mupane gold mine near Francistown in Botswana (photo: Galane Gold).
temporarily reduced mill throughput. It
is envisaged that once resolved, the lost
production will be made up during the
remainder of the year so the motor failure
should not have a long-term economic
effect on the company.”
ASX-listed Universal Coal has announced
that cold commissioning of the Dense
Media Separation (DMS) circuit of the wash-
ing plant has successfully commenced at its
Kangala coal operation near Delmas. Upon
completion, the DMS plant will enable
production of export quality thermal coal,
which will be exported out of the Richards
Bay Coal Terminal from July onwards.
With the completion of the DMS, the
entire colliery will be on opex and com-
pletion testing as required by project
financing arrangements may commence.
Kangala is Universal Coal’s first opera-
tion. The mine will be a domestic thermal
coal operation supplying coal primarily to
Eskom. At a capital cost of A$46,8 million,
this operation is projected to supply an
estimated average of A$15 million EBITDA
per annum (100 %), with both costs and
profit margins locked in.
Operating costs will be optimised at a
low A$15 per ton over an initial eight-year
life of mine at Wolvenfontein achieving an
effective >80 % yield.
The operation is being run on the his-
Universal Coal starts commissioning DMS plant
torically proven outsource model, with
Stefanutti Stocks Mining Services supply-
ing both the mining fleet and skill set to
run the initial eight-yearWolvenfontein pit,
operating a fleet of 60-t trucks, 85-t exca-
vators and supporting equipment. The
dual circuit processing facility containing a
350 t/h crushing and screening circuit and
the 200 t/h DMS washing plant is owned
by the company but operated by Mineral
Resource Development.
Following the Kangala project will
be development of the export-focused
Roodekop and Brakfontein projects sub-
ject to positive feasibility studies, financing
and other regulatory approvals.
