Client requirements

The Lonmin Marikana Mining Operations identified the need for an integrated future state scenario planning system, focusing on the creation of viable scenarios through simulation. Outcomes should provide direction and strategic data to the respective business centers to select optimal scenarios based on best business case principles. Outcomes must be auditable, repeatable and have buy-in from production personnel. The project must be fast tracked and resourced to be accomplished in half of the industry norm time frame.

The Ukwazi approach

This project involved Mining Engineers and Mining consultants from Ukwazi as an integral part of the project team. The project team involved centralized and operational Lonmin personnel to define and incorporate issues such as mine design criteria, labour allocations, ventilation requirements, geotechnical constraints, engineering design, construction constraints, ore handling systems etc.

Mine design and scheduling scenarios were created in line with a best practice strategy. Individual scenarios were integrated to produce an operation wide strategic plan of open pit and underground operations.

Outcomes

• Integrated scenario planning system with an auditable and repeatable reserving/depletion process
• Base case for future reference and Management information
• The technical service centre of excellence was enabled to provide the Mining units with a means to select optimal scenarios for budgeting, based on sound business principles
• The basic data structure included relevant documentation, RUN OF MINE (ROM) tonnes, ROM head grade, Centares and development rates for the establishment and maintenance of a specified reserve.

Client Requirements

The Mwambashi Copper Project is a greenfields project located in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. A feasibility study was commissioned by Teal Exploration and Mining during 2006 and completed within six months. Ukwazi was contracted to do the mining engineering section of the study. This involved pit optimisation, pit design, Life-of-Mine schedule, mobile fleet requirements study and a mining cost model.

The Ukwazi Approach

The pit optimisation was preceded by the construction of a cost model from first principles and benchmarked against current open pit mining operations and contractor rates. The cost model, together with macro-economic parameters, served as input to the process during which the final positions of the pit boundaries was optimised in three dimensions. The resultant pit shell was refined by a detail pit design incorporating geotechnical and mining constraints. Using state of the art mine sheduling software, a Life-of-Mine schedule was produced which maximise return and minimise risk. The schedule was accompanied by a mobile fleet requirements study to ensure feasibility and enable capital and operation cost planning.

Outcomes

Ukwazi was able to provide a mining engineering solution which fit the capital, operational and strategic project objectives of the client. Ukwazi continues its involvement in the project during the implementation stage.

Client Requirements

Eland Platinum is a Platinum junior that acquired the Elandsfontein farm lease area on the western limb of the Bushveld complex in the Brits area with the view of mining the UG2 PGM resource. Eland Platinum required a bankable feasibility study ready for execution contractors within a limited time frame. A SAMREC compliant resource to reserve conversion was part of the client requirement.

The Ukwazi Approach

Ukwazi was awarded the design and scheduling portion of the study together with the reserving estimation in collaboration with RSG Global. The preferred mining method - Low Profile Mechanized Grid was determined upfront during the conceptual phase and was fixed in the scope of the feasibility study. The design criteria were determined by Ukwazi which considered all the geological features and attributes of the ore body, inputs from the execution mining contractor and the client. In doing the mine scheduling all relevant issues were incorporated i.e. contractor advance rates, stockpile optimizations (aligned with concentrator commissioning) and grade optimization.

Outcomes

The study was approved and is moving forward into the execution phase where Ukwazi is part of the team investigating optimization opportunities.