Following the international tyre and truck shortages which crippled operations at the Orapa and Letlhakane Mines, Acting General Manager, Dan Mahupela, has informed The Sunday Standard that production is now back to normal.
Mahupela said that the mine had gone all out to ensure that they acquire the necessary tires and bring the mine back to operation despite the international crisis caused by a shortage of tires worldwide.
“Production at the mines is now on target to make up the lost tonnages,” he said.
Mahupela said that all the 9 trucks that were parked due to the crisis are now fully operational while an additional 4 new trucks have been acquired to increase hauling capacity and offset the effect suffered in the last 5 months. Another 2 trucks are expected from the sister mine in Jwaneng in the next two weeks.
The Acting General Manager further said that this month alone the Orapa Mine is 15 percent over its predicted monthly production budget. He, however, decried the high cost of tires, which presently lies at 60 percent above the normal price in the international market, mainly due to the high demand from mining companies across the globe.
Mahupela said that even though the recent tyre shortage has cost the Orapa and Letlhakane Mines 5.5 million tones of production, the mines are now back in full force as they continue to mine in compliance with their strategic mine plan index.