Power shortages retards Kalahari copper belt
Boniface Keakabetse | Friday August 8, 2014 13:02
The discovery of copper and silver deposits along the Kalahari copper belt which straddles from Zambia brought mining excitement in a district already booming with wildlife based tourism. Boseto mine near Toteng operated by DML in 2012 was the first operation to open in the Ngamiland.
Now Khoemacau Copper Mining, formerly known as Hana, has announced plans to start mining at its site in Somelo settlement not very far from the Boseto mine.
But the blessing of two mines in the region is negated by constraints in the electricity supplies, affecting mining operations.
Currently DML reportts spending more than P26 million monthly to fuel the diesel engine at Boseto. This is so because there is no power grid connecting the area which is predominantly cattle farms. Khoemacau which plans to begin mining at Somelo around 2017 has also hinted at concerns about the power woes.
Addressing the recent Base Metals beneficiation workshop, the Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Kitso Mokaila advised the two mining companies to form a partnership and approach Botswana Power Corporation to connect them with power. Although there is currently no power grid connecting the mines, Mokaila said an arrangement can be made.
Earlier on Mokaila had revealed that a 400KV line from Morupule to Maun is expected to be completed by 2018 while the ZIZABONA project will also facilitate inter connection and ease electricity trading in the northern part of the country.
The minister added that government is committed to providing the necessary environment and infrastructure like power grid, roads and water.
“The commissioning of the 600MW Morupule B power station and bringing in to service of the refurbished 132 MW A Morupule A, complemented by 160MW of diesel peaking plant and new 300 MW IPP brownfield expansion B units 5 and 6 will ensure power self sufficiency for all the economic needs,” he said.
Rob Dey, Khoemacau project director, revealed to BusinessWeek on the sidelines of the tour of the exploration site that they are on schedule to begin mining. He said they plan to apply for a mining licence end of August or beginning of September this year. The licence is to mine copper deposits in Kuke on the Gantsi side and the other deposits in Ngamiland closer to the DML’s BOSETO copper mine.
Dey further explained that the company has submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment to the Department Of Environmental Affairs in April for mining approval.
He said their plan is to begin to mine the zone 5 Ngamiland which is currently projected to have a mining life of 15 years.
He said the mine will be underground so as to get to higher grade copper quickly to avoid incurring losses. Dey added that there was a plan to buy one of the neighbouring cattle ranches to add to their existing exploration site to set up a mining camp. He said they cannot put up a township at the site as this may not be profitable given the 15 year projected mining life.