Eland Mine Kukama Shaft Project

Northam Platinum is restarting the Eland mine at a cost of R2bn as part of its plans to improve operational diversification and reach 1-million ounces of platinum group metal (PGM) production a year in Brits, North West. Northam intends returning it to a conventional mine, using teams of miners to drill and blast, but deploying a highly mechanised approach to the development of tunnels and access to the reef, creating what is known in the industry as a hybrid mine. Conversion of the Kukama decline shaft into a footwall array will start during the 2020 financial year, along with limited early stoping. Strike development and stoping build-up is scheduled to begin in the following financial year. Production is forecast to reach 100 000 oz/y 4E by 2025 and steady state production of 150 000 oz/y 4E is forecast from 2029. GPS coordinates lat: -25.6302394; long: 27.8845119.