Jwaneng Cut 8 (Pic By www.leightonafrica.com)
Majwe Mining Joint Venture Pty Ltd said it will deliver Cut 8 in Jwaneng as the livelihood of the people of country is dependent on the project.
“…we are well on our way to achieving our goal of delivering Cut 8,” Majwe Mining Joint Venture (Pty) Ltd, Project Director, Rod Fraser said at a function to mark the JV’s three year anniversary.
“We will always remain mindful and remember our main purpose here at Jwaneng, which is of course to provide mine contracting services to the Debswana-Jwaneng Mine by moving over 156 million Bank Cubic Meters of waste material safely and efficiently.”
Fraser added that what is more critical and what should keep them motivated is the fact that the future livelihood of many Batswana depends on the successful delivery of the multibillion Pula project. The Majwe Mining Joint Venture (MMJV) comprises Leighton Botswana, Basil Read Mining Botswana and Bothakga Burrow Botswana.
The Jwaneng based Cut 8 is a large scale contract mining project; it is the first of its kind for Botswana and the largest ever single project undertaken by the diamond rich country.
“We have come across many hurdles and challenges along the way, but tonight is a time to celebrate the overcoming of those challenges, and to look forward to the challenges that we will inevitably be confronted with as we strike out to achieve our full potential next year by mining 36 Mbcm in 2015,” he said.
Fraser said there is no doubt that many in the mining industry, both here and internationally are curious and are watching with interest to see how the JV performs, to see if it is able to live up to obligations under the contract, to see ‘if we can add value to our client’s business, to see if we can deliver the project on time to the Nation and its people.’
He revealed that having come through the difficulties of establishment and getting the project up and running, they are now running hard at a 36 Mbcm annualised rate.
“We are now operating at unprecedented levels of mine production. Levels never seen before in this country,” he said. The joint venture has also brought new mining techniques, methodologies, systems and skills to the table here in Botswana.
“As Majwe we are very proud of the skills we continue to transfer to Batswana; we are committed to leaving a legacy of enhanced skills across the many aspects of mining operations to the greater benefit of Botswana as a whole.” When complete, Cut 8 project will extend Life of Jwaneng mine to 2031 and at completion the project pushback will have mined 658 million tons of waste to deliver 115 million carats. The pit dimensions will be 2.4km long, 1.6km wide at surface and 624m deep, which will re-define Jwaneng as a super-pit.
The project was launched in December 2010 at P24 billion and was the largest-ever single capital commitment in Botswana’s private sector. From inception, the waste mining was outsourced and split into Phase 1 and Phase 2. The early Phase 1 work was completed in 2012 and at that time Phase 2 was ramping up.
Phase 2 of Cut 8, is being mined by Majwe Mining in collaboration with Debswana. “The Cut-8 project like I mentioned will transform Jwaneng into one of the biggest open pit mines in the world, and Phase 2 waste mining is due for completion in 2017,” said General Manager of Jwaneng Mine, Albert Milton.
