Image credit: De Beers Group (Facebook)
Redpath will provide skilled management, operational and maintenance personnel to form part of the integrated operations team at Venetia, according to Mining Weekly.
"We are excited to be working with De Beers Group in transferring our safe and efficient operating processes to the South African workforce," Redpath Australia managing director Gavin Ramage was quoted as saying.
"Together with Redpath Mining South Africa, we will utilise the skillsets of both our Australian and African business units. Redpath has been successful in doing this at other major projects across the globe so we look forward to providing another successful outcome for De Beers at Venetia."
De Beers' South African production increased to 1.2 million carats in the third quarter of 2020 due to an expected change in ore mix, with more ore sourced from the higher grade material from the last cut of the open pit as Venetia transitions to the underground.
Open-pit mining at Venetia will likely run until 2021.
The Venetia underground mine project will extend the life of the mine to 2046 and provide an estimated 94 million carats of diamonds.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
