An international engineering firm has claimed that its small, cost-effective process plants are ideal for junior mining companies and platinum projects.

Amec Minproc has explained that the plants are particularly suited to companies exploiting pgm deposits with limited life-of-mine and financial capital, Mining Weekly reports.

Technical manager Steve Amos told the news provider that the majority of new platinum studies contain operational and funding challenges which could be eased by his firm's technology.

The company has already installed one of its plants at Platinum Australia's Smokey Hills project, which located on the eastern limb of the Bushveld Complex in South Africa.

It is also currently compiling a scoping study on Ivanhoe Nickel and Platinum's Platreef project in Limpopo, with a three-year target likely for construction.

Furthermore, Amec has completed bankable feasibility studies for Platinum Australia's Kalahari Platinum Project, the Sheba's Ridge project and a Western Bushveld project owned by Platinum Group Metals.

Mr Amos revealed that the company could be involved in all three projects at a later date.

The Kalahari pre-feasibility study suggested that it could produce over one million ounces of pgms 4E (platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold) over a nine-year life of mine.

Sheba's Ridge, which is operated by Aquarius Platinum through its subsidiary Ridge Mining, plus Anglo Platinum, is expected to offer 390,000 oz of pgms per year.

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Cost-effective plants for platinum mines (20/08/10)

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