Debswana powers on with Cut 9
Lewanika Timothy | Monday October 30, 2023 06:00
Known as Cut 9, the P22 billion project to expand Jwaneng Mine involves deepening the iconic pit beyond 650 metres to tap into an ore body that will yield approximately 48 million carats and support the mine to its end of life in 2035.
The project is the last open cast layer available at Jwaneng Mine and thereafter a massive underground development, which is conservatively expected to cost $6 billion, is planned. At present, Jwaneng Mine, the world's richest diamond mine by value, is accessing ore from Cut 8, while excavation and waste mining of the next level of production under Cut 9 continues.
On Wednesday, the Jwaneng Mine general manager (GM), Koolatotse Koolatotse told journalists that the development of the Cut 9 Project was proceeding well, with expectations that the new ore would be accessed by 2027. “We are under pressure to expand beyond Cut 8 because we are avoiding a remuneration gap,” he said in a briefing.
“If Cut 8 is depleted, and we are not ready with Cut 9, the economy will go on its knees.”
Koolatotse said ore from Cut 8 was due to be used up by 2029, from when Cut 9 would have to be ready.
“Cut 9 will be able to take over swiftly from Cut 8. “We have been clearing waste from Cut 9 for close to five years now and by 2027 we will hit the ore deposit. “We expect that full operations at Cut 9 will commence from 2029,” Koolatotse said.
The GM said Cut 9 would push Jwaneng Mine to 2033, from when the underground operations were planned to kick off.
“By 2033 and beyond, Jwaneng Mine will go underground and the transition from Cut 9 will have to be swift and technical as well,” he said. “Underground mining will entail a different operational approach, with the introduction of underground refrigeration processes, civil support of underground operations and others. “We are working on this currently.”
Meanwhile, Naledi Mining, the 100% Debswana-owned mining contractor, continues to gather momentum, following its successful establishment last August. Naledi will provide labour services for Cut 9, including operational skills such as machines, trucks, supervision, earthmoving equipment, and repairs and maintenance.
However, the company’s CEO, Bokang Thitoyamore, told BusinessWeek Naledi’s ambitions were broader than Debswana.
“We will not operate like Debswana and our strategy will be different,” he said in a brief interview. “We are not bound to playing in the local space and we will elevate our business case, which we are currently developing, to extend beyond Botswana’s borders.”
Thitoyamore said Naledi currently has 1,000 employees and is engaging stakeholders to develop an international business and technical case ahead of its “fully fledged launch”.