A scoping study by Southern Palladium shows that the Bushveld Complex's Bengwenyama platinum group metals (PGMs) project in South Africa might have a 26-year mining life.
The project will also feed the facility a consistent grade, reducing grade blending.
However, subterranean reef chip sampling will continue during mining.
Southern Palladum is conducting a feasibility study on the project, which currently has a mineral resource of 26 million ounces within two ore horizons: Upper Group Two (UG2) chromitite and Merensky Reef.
The company is confident in the geological model and the continuity of the mineralisation reefs on the site because the UG2 and Merensky reefs are two reef horizons that are continuous over large areas, as shown by the current mining operations from Bokoni mine, north of Bengwenyama, to Booysendal operations, south of the project, 200 km apart.
Bengwenyama borders mining operations in Modikwa and Marula.
Unlike other deposits, Bushveld Complex chromitite reefs have a uniform grade distribution.
Similar grades are expected for the Bengwenyama project.
Based on 10 historical drillholes, the original grade was 7.70 g/t of platinum, palladium, rhodium, and gold (4E) PGMs across 71 cm of reef.
Southern Palladium notes that this shows grade consistency and confirms the resource is beyond the acceptable economic extraction pay limit of 1.9 g/t.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
