Wesizwe’s Bakubung Receives Two-year Reduction in Time to Full Production

Wesizwe Platinum Ltd. (JSE:WEZ) announced that the optimization study for its Bakubung platinum mine has been approved by its board of directors.

The study reduces the mine’s time to full production by 26 months, meaning that its initial production level is now slated for October 2020.

Other key results include:

• An 8.7% increase in mine capacity to 250 ktpm of run-of-mine ore at full capacity;
• A steady state monthly production to increase to 35 280 oz 4E/month or 420 000 oz 4E/annum, a 20% increase in the annual production rate;
• The average mining employees in service (steady state) is expected to be reduced by 235 people to 3135;
• All mining will be fully or semi-mechanised;
• The shortening of shafts, accommodated by the removal of underground crushing and bringing level development onto reef horizons (on reef development), resulting in a substantial reduction in off-reef development (a reduction of around 402 000m3 of off-reef development);
• The substantial use of conveyor belts (ore transport) and chair lifts (people transport);
• The inclusion of a third (6m)raise-bore shaft to further assist in ventilation and logistics (men and material);
• The increase in hoisting capacity, to support the increased production rates;
• The removal of underground infrastructure to surface (including primary crushing); and
• The revision of the shaft pillar strategy (to be mined at end of mine life).

Click here to read the full Wesizwe Platinum Ltd. (JSE:WEZ) press release.