CHAMWE KAIRA
The Rössing Uranium has allocated funds for upgrades of the Rössing infrastructure and processing plant. These include construction of a 15MWe PV solar power plant, as well as expansion of the tailings storage facility (TSF) to accommodate ten years’ additional tailings from the processing of phase 4 ore.
Rössing Uranium’s Managing Director Johan Coetzee announced that contracts were awarded for both projects by the end of 2023, with target completion by the end of 2024 and 2025 respectively.
The plant will be built on a 70-hectare site adjacent to the access road between Arandis and the Mine. The electricity generated will be solely for the mine use, with the Solar PV plant supplying the majority of Rössing’s energy demand during the day
Coetzee said funds were also allocated for completion of two feasibility studies, for dewatering of the tailings stream to a higher density (thickened) tailings and for onsite treatment of plant solutions to reduce freshwater consumption.
“Both studies involve the construction of pilot plants. Target completion of the studies is the end of 2024 to inform an investment decision for full-scale execution by the end of 2026,” said Coetzee.
Rössing Uranium LoME from 2027 to 2036 was approved by the Rössing Board in February 2023. A 13-year contract was signed with Beifang Mining to commence with a full contract mining service from 2024 to 2036. By the end of 2023, Beifang had mobilised a new fleet of heavy mining equipment (“HME”) to site, together with an experienced workforce trained to operate this equipment. The first blast was taken in the new Phase 4 pushback, ahead of schedule, on 21 December 2023.
Following the approval of Life of Mine and in the face of increasing uranium prices, Rössing’s long-term strategy is now focused on identifying an economic pathway for achieving higher production rates from new sources of ore, and extending the life of mine beyond 2036.
“The potential for further expansion of the current SJ Pit is limited and the focus is therefore on development of a new open pit within the mining lease (ML28). The objective is to commence before 2030 and supplement feed from the SJ Pit to achieve higher production rates,” said Coetzee.
The company expects 2024 to be another important year for Rössing Uranium as it begins with substantial pushback work for the Phase 4 extension, while evaluating new opportunities that could potentially extend the life-of-mine beyond 2036, said Coetzee.
