The Sunday Mail
The platinum mining venture between Zimbabwe and Russia has successfully completed exploration work, thereby paving way for the mining phase in one of the world’s biggest platinum projects.
The US$3 billion project is one of the major investments in the country ever since the attainment of independence and is expected to create 8 000 jobs when it reaches its peak.
Latest information shows that the Great Dyke Investments (GDI) platinum mining venture is now moving on to the mine design stage.
Mine design is a significant step that reflects advancement from the geological to the mining phase.
Exploration work carried out so far indicates availability of about 45 million ounces or 1 400 tonnes of Platinum Group Metals (PGM) reserves in Darwendale, thereby matching the two largest platinum reserves in South Africa and Russia.
The geological exploration completed last year reportedly broke local records in terms of the extent of the area covered as well quantity of drill holes.
Responding to inquiries from The Sunday Mail last week, GDI Chairperson Dr Hespina Rukato confirmed the progress.
“Great Dyke Investments (Pvt) Ltd (GDI), which implements the joint Zimbabwean-Russian Darwendale deposit development project, has now moved to the stage of design of the mining infrastructure for the project.
“This follows the successful completion of the large-scale geological exploration activities at the end of 2015.”
Dr Rukato said during the exploration, a massive 130 000 meters were covered while 870 drill holes were made.
“During the geological exploration program, a total of 130 000 running meters were drilled (870 drill holes). This made the project the largest in terms of geological exploration in Zimbabwe for the past decades.
“The mineral resource potential at Darwendale is about 45 million ounces (1,400 t) of PGM, which is comparable with the largest deposits at Bushveld area in South Africa, as well as with deposits in the Norilsk ore region in Russia such as the Norilsk-1 and Talnakh.”
Dr Rukato said GDI is expecting to receive the validated exploration findings soon from the contracted reputable Australian mining auditing firm, JORC.
According to Dr Rukato, funding modalities for the mining phase are on course with the bankable feasibility study expected mid-year.
“In December 2015, GDI concluded with international company DRA the Contract for Bankable Feasibility Study which will be prepared by mid-2016.
“In accordance with the long-term strategy of development of Darwendale Project approved earlier by the Board of Great Dyke Investments, the preparation of the Bankable Feasibility Study has commenced.
“This will be followed by the design of the first stage facilities of the mining and metallurgical complex which will be finalized by 2016.”
Commenting on the progress of the GDI project, Mines and Mining Development Deputy Minister Fred Moyo said the developments are positive.
“It is a sign of good progress because they have now developed from the phase of the geology to the mining phase. After that, the other two phases will be the metallurgy then the marketing.
“So it is a positive step, the first process was successful,” said Deputy Minister Moyo, who is also a mining engineer.
University of Zimbabwe Institute of Mining Research chair, Mr Lyman Mlambo said the GDI project exploration was one of the most extensive projects ever done in the country.
“There hasn’t been serious exploration in recent decades, not only in platinum but all minerals. The project did the largest exploration in recent decades. GDI has also been using the latest and more effective technology,” he said.
Mr Mlambo said although the project was behind set timelines, the massive exploration indicates that the peak production target of 800 000 ounces per annum could be achieved.
“The total cumulative investment planned up to 2024 (of up to US$3billion) when the project would be at full throttle requires a sound and large established reserve base.
‘‘It would be producing 800 000 ounces of platinum per annum, employing about 8 000 people, which is about the current size of the whole platinum sector.
“Given also that it would establish full beneficiation facilities, the large exploration becomes critical to supply enough feed to the beneficiation facilities.”
The GDI project is also set to transform Darwendale into a fully fledged town, as downstream benefits are expected to take shape.
To date, some of the structures that have been set up on site include a laboratory, core sample storage facility, sample preparation warehouse, construction camp and administrative building.
An open pit mine has been dug to draw bulk sample for metallurgical tests.
