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| Overview of exploration |
| Exploration 2007 |
| Regrettably, the exploration department had a workrelated
fatality on one of the drilling projects at the
beginning of 2007. This was the first work-related
exploration fatality ever in Anglo Platinum and was
investigated thoroughly. Remedial measures have been
taken to ensure that no repeats occur. |
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Extensive exploration activities on all Anglo Platinum
properties continued in 2007, with a total of 511
kilometres of diamond drilling completed. This reflects
the very significant effort Anglo Platinum has put into
determining resources for both mine planning and
conversion of resources to reserves where this occurs
in proximity to operations budgeted to increase slightly
during 2008. This has been in response to the demand
for projects and to cater for a number of new
prospecting permits awarded by the Department of
Minerals and Energy in 2007. Prospecting on these
permit areas has already started and is progressing in
line with the works programme schedules.
The main focus of exploration work in 2007 was risk
mitigation and upgrading resources in line with the
Group's project pipeline requirements. Anglo Platinum
has an impressive portfolio of announced and upcoming
projects which are being assessed in line with
internationally recognised best practices, as attested to
by both in-house and international third-party reviewers.
One such review was conducted by Snowden Mining Industry Consultants; its summary findings are
reproduced in a letter in this document. Drilling remains
a primary tool in determining and evaluating resources,
and the extensive and structured drilling programmes
reflect this systematic approach to generating value for
the organisation. Although some percussion drilling is
used for specific needs, diamond drilling using mostly
BQ (48 mm) diameter coring makes up over 99% of
the boreholes drilled. Only reef intersections with 100%
core recovery are used in the geological models of
resource grades.
Technology advances in three-dimensional seismic
surveys have been fully used by the exploration team in
recent years and, during the year, a highly successful
survey was conducted on the Western Bushveld Joint
Venture properties adjacent to BRPM. Seismic surveys
have proved an invaluable tool for supplementing
borehole data by providing exceptional detail on most
of the structural deformation of the orebodies. This
ensures the correct placement of shafts and other
critical mining infrastructure, particularly where
orebodies are at moderate to deep depths. Several
additional surveys are also in the planning stage.
Aeromagnetic surveys, geophysical logging and
borehole radar are also used to supplement geological
knowledge on each of the prospects.
Where mine planning has reached an advanced stage, a
variety of additional drillhole and surface to near-surface
imaging tools are employed to determine the structure
and competency of the ground targeted for development.
In-drillhole and rock surface remote sensing are integral
components of this risk mitigation process: they have
proved highly cost beneficial over recent years. Vertical
seismic profiling has been used to image structures in
the immediate vicinity of the shaft barrel, along the
length of the shaft at Paardekraal 2 shaft and the
proposed Styldrift and Amandelbult 4 shafts.
Foreign exploration continues apace with the ongoing
objective of finding, locating and defining projects of
value to the organisation. These include projects in
Russia, Canada, China, Brazil and Zimbabwe, with
watching briefs in a number of other promising
geological provinces. The objective of being able to
evaluate swiftly and promote projects promptly, where
appropriate, remains our goal, with an information
system in place that promotes these objectives.
Russia: Two projects are being explored with differing
styles of mineralisation. In the Urals, an alluvial platinum
target is reaching an advanced stage, with appropriate
documentation shortly to be filed. If approved, this will
permit exploratory mining to validate exploration
results. Several other placer occurrences are under
review and being tested, each with a high potential to
become resource evaluation targets. These deposits are
dominated by platinum mineralisation, with the metal
occurring as ferro-platinum alloy in nugget form and
individual nuggets comprised of around 90% platinum.
Concentrations of platinum in the ore are around a few
grams per cubic metre.
In the Kola Peninsula, three large areas of greenfields
exploration remain our focus. Where diamond drilling
has been used as the main tool for exploration, this
drilling has revealed mineralised zones of considerable
interest in two areas to date. Geophysical surveys
are assisting in target generation and drillhole-siting
programmes.
Canada: The River Valley project has progressed to prefeasibility
study level and the property has been taken to
lease, with only administrative issues remaining to
conclude that process. This will facilitate the retention of
the property for market conditions, to allow for its future
exploitation if progressed studies indicate viability at that
time. Limited ground work has been completed on the
property during this protracted lease application period.
Adjoining ground evaluation and regional targeting were
the objective of our 2007 field season's activity. Ongoing
opportunity investigation remains the current focus, with
a number of junior companies being monitored.
China: The extensive Panxi Rift in south-western
Sichuan province remains the primary geological target
area, with a number of specific intrusive complexes
being the local focal points of activity. The Emeishan
basalt suite of flood basalts are emplaced above
conducive and reactive country rocks, creating an
environment similar to the style of mineralisation Anglo
Platinum is familiar with in South Africa. A range of
occurrences and anomalies have been identified and
are being evaluated and, in some cases, drilled. The
focus of activity in 2008 will be to identify and define
more targets of interest to the Group.
Brazil: Ongoing mapping and geophysically targeted
drilling progressed well during the 2007 field season,
with target identification strategies successfully applied.
The work remains focused on a geological terrain
conducive to the development of chromite and sulphide
associated platinum group elements (PGEs) within
igneous intrusives. |
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Zimbabwe: Ongoing resource definition and
quantification within and outside the Unki resource
block were completed during the year, with successful
definition of prospective resources additional to the
Unki resource. Exploration activity has been maintained
pending the finalisation of ongoing government
negotiations.
Other (foreign) projects remain on our review horizon,
with a watching brief over several foreign occurrences
and junior players. The visual database system in place
to monitor activity has progressed well and will again be
enhanced and maintained during the coming period.
Western Bushveld Joint Venture: RPM entered into a
joint venture agreement with Platinum Group Metals
RSA Limited and Africa Wide Mineral Prospecting and
Exploration (Pty) Limited to establish the Western
Bushveld Joint Venture. Wesizwe Platinum Limited
acquired Africa Wide Mineral Prospecting and
Exploration in September 2007. The Western Bushveld Joint Venture is expected to complete a bankable
feasibility study for its project 1 area mid-2008.
Sheba's Ridge Joint Venture: Sheba's Ridge Joint Venture
is a project owned jointly between Ridge Mining (65%)
and Anglo Platinum (35%). Ridge Mining agreed to sell to
the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa
a 26% interest in the joint venture in return for funding
of R60 million to complete a feasibility study on the
project. Ridge Mining is currently completing this study. |
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Ron Hieber (Pr Sci Nat, FGSSA, MCIM)
Head: Exploration and Mineral Strategy |
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Johannesburg
7 February 2008 |
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 Eva Schneiderham and Nick Laidler logging geological drill core |
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