Mantengu Mining announces successful commissioning of chrome plant

JSE-listed Mantengu Mining has confirmed the successful commissioning of Langpan Mining’s first of three, chrome processing plants, located in Thabazimbi, Limpopo. This is the culmination of an 18-month process which commenced in December 2021 with the finalisation of a Competent Persons Report in line with the South African Codes for the Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves and Mineral Asset Valuations.

Mike Miller, Group Chief Executive Officer, Mantengu Mining, says the report estimated Langpan’s chrome reserve at 2.17 million tonnes, underpinning Langpan’s valuation of R851 million. 

“The report centred around the utilisation of the chrome plant, which was originally designed to accommodate a production throughput of 30 000 tonnes per month (tpm) or 70 tonnes an hour (tph). The successful commissioning of the chrome plant has enhanced production capacity to a throughput of 36 000 tpm or 100 tph, as opposed to the previously anticipated 30 000 tpm or 70 tph. The plant is expected to produce approximately 18 000 tonnes of chrome concentrate, with a chrome content of between 42% and 44%, a month,” explains Miller.

The old spirals were refurbished, and new spirals were added to the circuit to improve recovery and yield. The existing spiral structure was retained with a few structural modifications. Existing sumps, pumps and pipelines were incorporated. All steel modifications were approved by a professional engineer. Instrumentation will be minimal.

First deliveries of chrome concentrate from this plant are expected to commence on or about 8 June 2023.   

Miller notes that Langpan has further invested in two other chrome processing plants, over and above the recently commissioned chrome plant. These consist of a spiral processing plant and jigging processing plant.  The former has a planned production capacity of 30 000 tpm with a chrome content of 40-42%, and an estimated commissioned date in August 2023. The jigging processing plant has a planned production capacity of 14 000 tpm of chrome chip, with chrome content higher than 40% and is anticipated to be commissioned in August 2023.

Consistent with the exponential ramping up of production at Langpan, Mantengu Mining has also announced the appointment of Jacques Pretorius as Langpan’s General Manager. Pretorius, a seasoned and accomplished mining executive with over 30 years’ experience in mining operations and projects, boasts, amongst other notable achievements, the recent successful reopening of Northern Platinum’s Eland platinum mine between 2017 and 2023, during which period in 2022, there were one million fatality free shifts at Eland. Pretorius took up his new role on 1 June 2023.