Performance – 2008
The Northam mine’s production at 9 113kg (292 989oz) was 9.7% lower year on year. Twenty-six production days were lost owing to safety-related stoppages, while intermittent power supply constraints also contributed to lower output.
In an effort to ameliorate the lower underground tonnages, a total of 339 584 tonnes (at a grade of 0.85g/t) of waste rock fines were retreated, yielding 202kg of metal in concentrate, supplemented by 135kg emanating from retreatment of slag. Slight fluctuations in the head grades from both reefs, and the higher proportion of UG2 tonnages milled, resulted in a marginally lower combined head grade of 5.02g/t from 5.07g/t in F2007.
Merensky reef
| | F2008 | F2007 |
|---|
| Development metres | 9 615 | 11 555 |
| Square metres mined | 205 251 | 249 812 |
| Tonnes milled | 1 059 624 | 1 341 057 |
| Head grade (g/t 3PGE+Au) | 5.6 | 5.6 |
| PGMs in concentrate produced (kg) | 5 051 | 6 362 |
| Ore reserve availability (months) | 18 | 15 |
UG2 reef
| | F2008 | F2007 |
|---|
| Development metres | 3 117 | 3 267 |
| Square metres mined | 158 294 | 146 698 |
| Tonnes milled | 963 033 | 928 149 |
| Head grade (g/t 3PGE+Au) | 4.4 | 4.4 |
| PGMs in concentrate produced (kg) | 3 285 | 3 327 |
| Ore reserve availability (months) | 21 | 24 |
Combined reefs
| | F2008 | F2007 |
|---|
| Development metres | 12 732 | 14 822 |
| Square metres mined | 363 545 | 396 510 |
| Tonnes milled | 2 022 657 | 2 269 206 |
| Head grade (g/t 3PGE+Au) | 5.0 | 5.1 |
| PGMs in conc, produced from u/g mining (kg) | 8 336 | 9 689 |
| PGMs in conc. from other sources (kg) | 777 | 398 |
| Total (kg) | 9 113 | 10 087 |
| PGMs in conc. purchased | – | 404 |
Metal sales
| | F2008 | F2007 |
|---|
| | kg | oz | kg | oz |
|---|
| Platinum | 5 275 | 169 612 | 6 609 | 212 484 |
| Palladium | 2 523 | 81 103 | 3 014 | 96 888 |
| Rhodium | 643 | 20 666 | 877 | 28 180 |
| Gold | 145 | 4 678 | 203 | 6 549 |
| Total (3PGE+Au) | 8 586 | 276 059 | 10 703 | 344 101 |
| Ruthenium | 1 059 | 34 035 | 1 046 | 33 633 |
| Iridium | 208 | 6 700 | 270 | 8 687 |
| Osmium | 4 | 116 | 26 | 849 |
| Silver | 184 | 5 909 | 261 | 8 375 |
| Total | 10 041 | 322 819 | 12 306 | 395 645 |
| Copper (tonnes) | 573 | | 733 | |
| Nickel (tonnes) | 1 110 | | 1 301 | |
