Sylvania Dump Operations
Sylvania Dump Operations (SDO) comprises six chrome beneficiation and platinum group metal (PGM) processing plants, located on both the Eastern and Western Limb of the Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC), treating a combination of current and historical chrome tailings at host-mine sites. The SDO is the largest PGM producer from chrome tailings re-treatment in the industry with a current annual production capacity of c. 75koz -78koz (during steady state capacity and subject to supply from the host mine).
Chromite concentrate is produced and returned to the host mine at nominal cost, while PGMs in concentrate are recovered for Sylvania’s benefit and sold to smelters. The current operating model ensures low cost operations ($700 - $900/oz) and is cash generative. Primary milling and flotation operations are currently at a steady state following several years of investment and growth. The implementation of Project ECHO further improves recovery efficiencies across all operations through the implementation of secondary milling and flotation circuits.
The SDO has exclusive rights to reprocess mine arisings and tailings dumps at current host mines, with a profitable operational life of approximately ten years, depending on the operation, and with potential to significantly extend the operating horizon as mining resources are continuously being converted to reserves at host mines.
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Location |
Near Kroondal, 10 km South East of Rustenburg |
Access |
3 km Tar road from N4 |
Infrastructure |
Chrome and PGM recovery plants |
Feed sources |
Tailings dumps and current arisings |
Production capacity |
25 000 tonnes per month |
First year of operation |
2008 |
Location |
Near Mooinooi, 27km East of Rustenburg |
Access |
3 km Tar road from N4 |
Infrastructure |
Chrome and PGM recovery plants, including Run of Mine (ROM) treatment in HMS circuit |
Feed sources |
ROM, tailings dumps and current arisings |
Production capacity |
60 000 tonnes per month |
First year of operation |
2012 |
Location |
Near Mooinooi, 27km East of Rustenburg |
Access |
8.5 km Tar Road from Mooinooi off R104 |
Infrastructure |
Chrome and PGM recovery plants |
Feed sources |
Tailings dumps |
Production capacity |
35 000 tonnes per month |
First year of operation |
2011 (acquired by Sylvania in 2018) |
Note: deviates from typical SDO Process flow due to absence of current arisings and presently no secondary milling and flotation circuit |
Location |
11 km North of Steelpoort |
Access |
3 km dirt road off tar road connecting R555 with R37 |
Infrastructure |
Chrome and PGM recovery plants |
Feed sources |
Tailings dumps and current arisings |
Production capacity |
25 000 tonnes per month |
First year of operation |
2011 |
Location |
6.5 km South West of Steelpoort |
Access |
1km dirt road off R555 |
Infrastructure |
Chrome and PGM recovery plants |
Feed sources |
Tailings dumps and current arisings |
Production capacity |
36 000 tonnes per month |
First year of operation |
2009 |
Location |
22 km South of Steelpoort |
Access |
9 km tar off R555 |
Infrastructure |
Chrome and PGM recovery plants |
Feed sources |
Tailings dumps and current arisings |
Production capacity |
42 000 tonnes per month |
First year of operation |
2012 |
Transformational Thaba JV will comprise chrome beneficiation and PGM processing plants, treating a combination of ROM and historical chrome tailings from JV partner, adding a full margin chromite concentrate revenue stream to diversify the Group’s income and reliance on a single host-mine company.
Location |
Limberg Chrome Mine (LMC), located near Thabazimbi in Limpopo, South Africa |
Ownership |
50:50 JV with LMC to recover chromite and PGM concentrates from run-of-mine ores and historical tailings |
Mining right status |
Holder of mining rights |
Logistics |
LMC has developed a cost-effective and efficient inland road and rail network catering for bulk export and local sales |