BCL�s polaris 11 strategy begins to bear fruit
Onalenna Kelebeile | Monday June 29, 2015 15:18
The mine is already at an advanced stage, with various international financial institutions to explore options for funding the Polaris 11 projects.
The mine’s Managing Director, Daniel Mahupela, said they are in advanced discussions with the African Development Bank with a view to assist with building a metallurgical and chemicals hub in Southern Africa by funding some of the BCL projects.
Through the Polaris 11 strategy, the mine’s thrusts are to expand and sustain the nickel production circuit, develop a copper production circuit, iron production circuit, coal production and beneficiation circuit, chemicals and by-products as well as to develop precious metals and other minerals circuit.
Through the strategy BCL has completed the acquisition of the Tati Nickel mine and is in the final stages of completing the 50 percent acquisition of Nkomati mine.
The mine has also acquired a coal exploration licence and will commence work in the second half of this year. The plant study is ongoing, with a Canadian company and a scoping study for a captive coal fired power station has been completed. This will inform BCL on options regarding energy going forward. BCL has also signed contracts with partners to explore for gold in two projects in Zimbabwe, while exploration for diamonds in the western part of the country is ongoing.
Drilling results have proven positive for diamondiferous kimberlite and laboratory tests will be completed in December.
Mahupela told media practitioners that with regard to the expansion and the sustenance of the nickel circuit, their focus is to redesign and refurbish the smelter as a strategic asset around which the nickel business is anchored.
“In order to achieve this it was important to source and secure long-term supply of concentrates to fully utilise the capacity of the smelter,” he added.
He noted that the acquisition of Nkomati Nickel mine and negotiations for long-term off-take of Nkomati concentrates is aimed at achieving the goal of full smelter capacity utilisation going forward.
Another milestone under this circuit is that exploration of nickel resources continues to show satisfactory progress with Maibele exploration project near Tshokwe village.
Mahupela said the project is moving towards a successful bankable feasibility study before the end of this year. Further exploration work is ongoing at Dikoloti some five kilometres west of Selebi mine, with metallurgical test work being the focus.
On the iron production circuit, major visible progress has been made through the Pula Steel Casting and Manufacturing Plant.
Work is also ongoing near Shoshong and in Molopo to explore for iron ore. It is anticipated that these projects will in the medium-term augment supply for Pula Steel Plant.
“BCL is in the long-term looking at the development of a stand-alone blast furnace to produce billet from the readily available iron, coal and limestone ingredients from Botswana,” said Mahupela.