Impala Platinum (Implats) is making progress with a number of its projects in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The upgrade of Marula Platinum's flotation plant on the eastern limb of the Bushveld Complex, has been completed successfully by engineering firm K'Enyuka.

Implats, which has a 73 per cent stake in Marula, reports good performance from the new section and a drop in chrome content.

"High levels of chrome can negatively affect smelting," K'Enyuka business development manager Trevor Anderson told Mining Weekly.

Operational difficulties have blighted Marula's output of platinum in concentrate, which fell 12 per cent in the three months to the end of September to 18,000 oz.

Logistics, geological conditions and a lack of infrastructure are the main contributors to the below-par performance.

Marula's output is forecast at 70,000 oz/y of platinum for the next two years. Implats says this is in order to complete the restructuring process.

Meanwhile, the firm reports that production at its Mimosa plant in Zimbabwe, which it owns jointly with Aquarius Platinum, remained steady at 100,000 oz/y of platinum in concentrate.

The mine recorded 104,900 oz of platinum in concentrate for the 2010/11 financial year, tonnes milled rose by one per cent to 2.3 million tonnes, and concentrator recoveries increased by 77 per cent.

Implats also said there is opportunity to expand at the South Hill and North Hill blocks, in Zimbabwe's Great Dyke complex, where Mimosa is situated.

In South Africa, the miner says the fridge shaft portion of the No 17 shaft project at its Rustenburg operation has been completed.

The No 17 shaft is on schedule and should be completed by 2016, according to Don Munro, senior project manager at contractor TWP.

Finally, a new coal-fired boiler at Implats' platinum refinery and production facility in Springs, on the East Rand, has been successfully installed.

Sources:



Engineering firm completes flotation concentrator upgrade at Marula (09/12/11)



Mimosa operation maintains steady-state production (09/12/11)



Fridge shaft project for world’s largest shaft-sinking contract complete (09/12/11)



Lifting of 65 t coal-fired boiler completed at refining facility (09/12/11)

© Adfero Ltd