Debswana Diamond Company has invested substantial capital of over P3 billion on infrastructures and latest technology at Jwaneng and Letlhakane tailings plants both with asset life of 20 years, this according to Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Lefoko Moagi.
Moagi said that the Debswana’s Resource Development Plan (RDP) utilises all known resources under Debswana’s portfolio, and the tailings resources are part of the RDP. Moagi further stated that Letlhakane mine and Jwaneng mine tailings are part of current operations producing circa 800k carats each annually through their processing facilities known as the Letlhakane Tailings Plant (LTP) and Jwaneng Modular Plant (JMP). He said Orapa tailings are part of the RDP and will be processed and exploited towards the end of Run of Mine carats from Jwaneng underground in the 2040s.
“Damtshaa mine tailings are yet to be sampled for grade and revenue estimates,” he stated.
Minister Moagi is of the view that while the mines optimize their processes to recover as much as possible from the resources, leaving very little in the tailings, under the long-term Mine Closure Plan, Debswana will conduct a due diligence exercise to determine the financial value of the tailings which will inform the value of all possible business options. He added that this value will be influenced by the prevailing diamond market and diamond recovery technology advancements.
He further stated that the Debswana 2024 strategy promotes citizen economic empowerment and the company is actively exploring opportunities to outsource some of its services based on good business cases.
“In terms of tailings treatment, Debswana has not outsourced this as it is currently been done as part of the bigger Debswana production activities as per the production plan,” said Moagi.
He stated that Jwaneng Mine has a complement of 475 positions of which 440 have been filled and recruitment is ongoing for the remaining positions and additional complement of 398 people are employed by contractors. He spoke of the overall employment complement through FTCs, OEMs and Contractors stands which he stated that it is at 873 employees. Moagi said previously, Majwe Mining had 617 employees inclusive of expatriates.
He is of the view that Orapa Cut 3 project, which is currently at extended pre-feasibility-B stage, will see various mining sequences and production schedules being explored with the objective of delivering the most optimal business case for its implementation. He added that it is Debswana’s vision that, through the Cut 3 Project, Orapa Mine will be transformed to become a renewed source for further economic growth in the Boteti region.
