| Twickenham (managed – 100% owned) |
| SAFETY |
| Regrettably, there was one fatality at Twickenham in 2007. The lost-time injury frequency rate did, however, improve from 1.61 to 0.59. |
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| PRODUCTION |
| Equivalent refined platinum ounce production from
Twickenham Phase 1 for 2007 was 9,300 ounces, 2,900
ounces above the production in 2006. The immediately
available ore reserves ended the year on 6.1 months.
Production of equivalent refined platinum ounces was
further affected by a decrease in the 4E built-up head
grade which declined from 4.97 g/t in 2006 to 4.65 g/t
in 2007, primarily due to lower grades encountered
underground. |
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| COSTS |
Total cash on-mine costs increased by R62 million or
95% to R128 million. This increase in absolute costs was
due to the mine, for the first time, employing own
resources to manage operations and maintain
operational infrastructure. Inflationary pressures, labour
costs in excess of inflation and transportation of ore
(for processing at Lebowa) contributed to the year-onyear
increase.
This resulted in the cash on-mine cost per tonne milled
increasing by 27% to R805 and the cost per equivalent
refined platinum ounces increasing by 35% to R13,790. |
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| Mike da Costa |
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| CAPITAL EXPENDITURE |
| Total capital expenditure at the Twickenham mine was
R169 million in 2007. Capital expenditure was incurred
on the early mining project, the Mining Training Centre
and the Phase 2 feasibility study. |
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| Projects |
| Twickenham Platinum Mine |
The early mining project at Hackney shaft was handed
over to operations during 2007.
The mining training centre, which is an underground
Mine Development Centre for the Eastern Limb
expansions at Twickenham shaft, was approved in the
second quarter of 2007 and execution is in progress.
The R5.9 billion Twickenham expansion project is
scheduled for approval by the Board in the first quarter
of 2008. The project will expand current operations
and exploit the UG2 reef horizon. |
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 A view of Twickenham’s Hackney shaft |
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