Background

Adelaide Ruiters Mining and Exploration (ARME) appointed VBKOM in 2019 to conduct and manage the entire bankable feasibility study of the Zandheuvel Phosphate Project close to Saldanha in the Western Cape.  The appointment included all aspects of project management for the integration of all technical disciplines to ensure that work packages are delivered in time and that sufficient knowledge of the processes is gained to be able to do a reserve sign-off in accordance to the SAMREC Code.  Engineering support to submit a revised Mine Works Programme (‘MWP’) and Environmental Impact Assessment (‘EIA’) was also given.

Earlier in 2020 a decision was taken to conduct pilot plant testwork at Maelgwyn Mineral Services Africa (Pty) Ltd to determine the beneficiation properties and enable the finalisation of the process flow design. Refer to the Pilot Plant Process Flow below:

Following the drilling campaign executed in July 2020, a 5-tonne sample was analysed and prepared to conduct the pilot plant tests.  The Pilot Plant campaign was successfully executed in November 2020.  Data captured during the campaign will now be utilised by AZMET Technology and Projects (Pty) Ltd to design the final plant. The final concentrate produced during the test campaign will also be sent for test work on potential downstream processes.

Deon Cloete (IDC), Mokhora Kgwahla (Maelgwyn), Mzwandile Nomkorwana (IDC), Braam Smit (Azmet), Kevin Hodges (IDC), Adelaide Ruiters (CEO and Founder ARME), Mientjie van der Vyver (VBKOM), Hennie Stallknecht (Maelgwyn) at the pilot plant.

For more information about our Geological Consulting, Metallurgical Consulting and Geomet Modelling, please contact us.