The expansion project at Anglo American Platinum's (Amplats) Rustenburg refinery is has been completed and is now fully operational.

Work started on the project in 2007 and it is expected the facility will produce 11,000 t/y of nickel in the first quarter of 2012.

Executive head of engineering and projects Ben Magara told Mining Weekly that final stage of the expansion involved the handover of the 33 000 t/y nickel cathode BMR to operations.

"The nickel cathode BMR expansion comprised the building of a new nickel tank house, which has been delivered safely, on time and on budget," he said.

Meanwhile, Amplats says the ore-replacement project at its Khuseleka mine is almost three-quarters complete.

Part of a strategic approach the miner is taking at its Rustenburg operations, the project will allow it to tackle the diminishing Merensky reef output and supplement existing upper group two (UG2) output.

Due to be completed in the first quarter of 2015, it see the replacement of 70 000 oz/y of platinum.

Amplats also reports that its Unki platinum mine and concentrator plant in Zimbabwe have been handed over to operations and are expected to produce 69,000 oz/y of platinum.

Both are currently in the ramp-up phase, with the 130,000 milled tonnes in September.

"The outlook continues to be positive, with production ramping up well," Mr Magara told Mining Weekly.

"Costs are being contained, as the current operations are still operating within the first quartile of the industry cost curve."

Sources:

Rustenburg base metals refinery completed on time and on budget (16/12/11)

Khuseleka ore-replacement project nearly 75% complete, refrigeration plant fully operational (16/12/11)

Unki platinum mine handed over to operations, exceeding ramp-up expectations (16/12/11)

© Adfero Ltd