The Messina platinum mine, which is controlled 70.4% by SOUTHERNERA RESOURCES of Toronto, has optimized its shaft-deepening project and cut the cost by half. Conventional shaftsinking will be completed to 350 m this month. A ramp will be driven down to the 730-m level to facilitate mechanized longhole stoping. The shaft will be completed to 730 m by raiseboring rather than conventional shaftsinking.
"In addition to saving US$12 million, this approach accesses more of the orebody sooner," said SouthernEra president Patrick Evans.
The Messina mine is located 25 km from SouthernEra's Klipspringer diamond mine in the Bushveld Complex of South Africa. The Messina Phase I (Voorspoed section) shaft was commissioned in August 2002 and the concentrator in September. The mine is expected to achieve a production rate of 80,000 tonnes/month during the third quarter of 2003, and designed capacity of 120,000 t/m during the second quarter of 2004. Annual output will be 159,000 ounces of PGEs and gold including 69,030 ounces Pt, 54,550 ounces Pd, 8,460 ounces Rh, 17,000 ounces Ru, 3,950 ounces Ir, and 5,450 ounces Au.
For further information contact Dr. Sally Eyre, vice-president of corporate affairs, at 416-359-9282 or visit www.southernera.com
Comments