BAFOKENG RASIMONE PLATINUM MINE JOINT VENTURE (BRPM JV)

The BRPM JV comprises the Boschkoppie and Styldrift mining right areas, along with a portion of the Frischgewaagd prospecting right area. Royal Bafokeng Platinum operates BRPM and is in the process of bringing the Styldrift 1 Project into production.

RBPlat concluded its third year in charge of the BRPM JV operations in 2012. We are pleased with the continued improvement in safety performance, increase in operational flexibility, labour reduction and the operational stability we maintained during the much publicised industry unrest. Our key improvement opportunities include cost reduction, grade improvement and in the context of the industry volatility in the past year, stakeholder engagement. Project execution was a highlight of 2012 with all our key capital projects, and Styldrift in particular, on schedule and under budget.

Location

The BPRM and Styldrift mining complex is located between Anglo American Platinum's Rustenburg Section operations to the south-east and its Union Section to the north on the Western Limb of the Bushveld Complex. The operations are up-dip (immediate north-west) of Impala Platinum, with the Western Bushveld Joint Venture (WBJV) on the north-eastern boundary, and Wesizwe's Platinum Limited's Frisch Ledig Project to the east and north-east of the Styldrift I Project.

Current mining operations ─ at North shaft and South shaft ─ are situated within the farm boundary of Boschkoppie 104 JQ, with development taking place at Styldrift. The villages of Rasimone, Mafenya, Robega and Chaneng are in close proximity.

Enlarge map: The Bushveld Complex (PDF - 93KB)

History

The BRPM JV between Royal Bafokeng Holding (RBH) and Anglo American Platinum was established in January 2002 to exploit platinum group metals (PGMs) mineralisation on the Boschkoppie, Frischgewaagd and Styldrift farms as a single entity. In January 2010, a significant landmark was achieved when operational management was ceded to RBH in fulfilment of this JV agreement.

An off-take agreement was concluded with Rustenburg Refineries for the sale of the BRPM JV concentrate. Anglo American Platinum has been retained for expertise in certain disciplines. Capital funding for the BRPM JV is apportioned according to each party's interest in the joint venture.

Important dates

November 1997

Site established at Boschkoppie

1 January 1998

First underground blast

16 December 1998

First opencast blast

11 December 1999

Plant commissioned

February 2000

First stoping

December 1998 to October 2002

Merensky opencast operations

January 2000 to April 2004

UG2 opencast operations

April 2003

Joint venture established between RBH and Anglo American Platinum

January 2010

RBH takes over operational control of BRPM through RBPlat