admin
Golden Sibanda
Bilboes Holdings, a major privately owned gold mining entity that operates three mines in Matabeleland North, is set to embark on a massive infrastructure expansion that will ramp up gold ore production to 240 000 tonnes per month and rake in more than US$235 million under its phase 1, a comprehensive document prepared by experts reveals.
The group’s mines are currently under care and maintenance, but on completion it is expected that the project will extend the life of mine for the three assets to at least 15 years, depending on the results of ongoing further exploration, while facilitating efficient extraction of gold within the existing operations at the Isabella-McCays-Bubi Oxide Complex.
A total of US$60 million will be invested into the project under phase 1, which is planned to commence in the current quarter to December 2020 and take about three years to complete.
Initially, the project will see production increased to 120 000 tonnes per month, and ramping up to 240 000 tonnes per month in the fourth year before reducing to 180 000 tonnes per tonne after year seven. The efficiency from the planned investment will see the mines able to produce gold at an average head grade of 1,88 grammes per tonne of gold ore.
Notably as well, initial processed gold production will reach 100 000 ounces and then peaking to 200 000 ounces (6 200kg per annum) and dropping to 140 000 ounces after year seven.
A report prepared by experts, SLR Consulting and Griynova, shows that the Bilboes gold sulphide project will create more 390 jobs to benefit mostly people from the local communities during construction.
Further, plus or minus 140 people will be permanently employed at the mines once construction has been completed, and this is targeted to be achieved by the end of 2023.
“Sulphide mining operations would be undertaken at McCays initially (Year 1 – 3), move on to Isabella (Year 4– 7) and then ultimately be completed at Bubi (Year 7 onwards). The total Life of Mine is anticipated to be approximately 15 years, however, this could be extended depending on the results and findings of ongoing exploration activities,” SLR Consulting and Griynova said.
Bilboes’ operations are located within the Bubi District of the Matabeleland North Province and entail the removal of gold bearing oxide ores from opencast pit and then processing in order to produce gold Doré.
The proposed Bilboes Sulphide gold project entails the establishment of additional infrastructure required at each of the three existing mines to facilitate the extraction, handling and processing of the sulphide ores.
Bilboes, once ranked among Zimbabwe’s 10 biggest gold producers, has since completed an environmental impact assessment (EIA) ahead of commencement of the project. Among Zimbabwe’s biggest gold producers are Freda Rebecca, Blanket Mine, RioZim
“The proposed project aims to exploit economically viable gold deposits within the existing Bilboes operations, thus extending the life of the existing operations and allowing for increased production at the mines,” the consultants said.
The project will entail making existing open pits wider and deeper to extract the sulphide ore, putting up a new processing plant and tailings storage facility (TSF) to process the gold from the sulphide ore and constructing a new haul road.
Further, the project will encompass the establishment of additional waste rock dumps (WRDs); and associated facilities at the proposed processing plant, including a road network, offices, housing, power and water reticulation.
The mines can potentially produce more than 200 000 ounces of gold, making the project the largest by output in the country, said the person. Most of the Isabella-McCays-Bubi operations are currently mothballed as the owners search for investors.
The gold industry is important to the socio-economic development of the southern African country through its contribution to export earnings, Government revenue and employment, among other benefits.
The national economy of Zimbabwe has largely been dependent on the mining sector to contribute to its GDP growth. Gold mining is a key component of the mining sector, accounting for over 50 percent of the total mineral revenue.
Bongani Ndlovu