VZI’s Gamsberg Project Undergoes Commissioning

As one of the largest greenfields mining projects in Africa, project commissioning activities towards its full operational status, is underway.

So far 67.2 million tons of waste has been pre-stripped last month, against the primary target of 68 million tons. In addition, 487,000 of the initial 500,000 tons of ore, has also been mined before the plant commissioning, said the company.

The team is consistently achieving a mining production rate of 4-4.5 million tpm of the overall rock mining, which is expected to continue into the operational phase of the project, it added.

Plant and infrastructure construction activity peaked in the first quarter of 2018/19. With almost 3,000 personnel employed on site, 1,050 of them are from the Northern Cape and 550 from the local Khai-Ma municipality.

The 38km water pipeline with pumping and storage, and 20km powerlines with a main receiving substation, have been successfully commissioned, and are now delivering services at the required capacity. On the other hand, construction of the 117ha HDPE-lined Tailings Storage Facility is completed and is ready for the tailings process, explained the company in a statement.

Around 90% of Gamsberg’s expected 700 permanent operational staff have already been recruited and on-boarded in readiness for the commencement of full operations. As stated in its earlier guidance, Gamsberg is targeting both the production of saleable concentrate and the first truck shipment of that concentrate by the end of September 2018.

SLP implementation is progressing in line with Vedanta’s original commitments.