Vedanta Zinc International (VZI) (www.Vedanta-ZincInternational.com) announced that it started a new Iron Ore product line this year. It will be scaling up iron ore production at its Black Mountain Mine (BMM) operations in Aggeneys, Northern Cape, South Africa.
According to the mine, it has undertaken advanced steps towards developing a 3 MTPA iron ore project, with the first production seen from the pilot plant it started, which is expected to grow significantly in the current financial year. Phase 1 of the project expects to produce between 0.7 to 1MTPA Iron ore, comprising two products, namely Sinter feed and DMS feed. BMM worked with global industry experts and partners to design a process capable of producing a high-quality product.
Speaking of the project, Laxman Shekhawat, VZI Business Head, says “The Iron Ore project will add another scalable product line to the VZI-BMM operations and offer the best-in-class product to our customers. The first part of the project will utilise feed from existing operations and produce high-grade iron ore (67%+) and Dense Media Separation Products (DMS), to be utilised as feedstock for the steel and coal industry; respectively.”
“This innovative project will assist in transforming our existing VZI BMM operations to be competitive, globally cost-efficient, and sustainable. It will also enhance the life of mine of the existing operations, thereby enhancing our Environmental, Social, and Governance footprint across our Southern African operations,” adds Shekhawat.
As one of the largest private-sector employers in the Northern Cape, VZI employs approximately 2,700 people at their current operations and has brought value to Aggeneys and the communities in the surrounding Khâi-Ma region through work opportunities and ongoing social development projects.
“We are proud of the impact our current operations have in our communities. We truly believe that the rollout of this new Iron Ore project will allow us the opportunity to create employment opportunities as well as provide ongoing support to our social development projects in the region,” said Shekhawat.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Vedanta Zinc International.
Media Contact:
Vedanta Zinc International
Ontiretse Molloyi
Mobile: +27 76 287 5895
OMolloyi@vedantaresources.co.za
PurpleRoom Consultancy
Ribu Mabelane
Mobile: 072 920 4280
ribu@prconsultancy.co.za
About Vedanta Zinc International:
Vedanta Zinc International (VZI) is the proud custodian of Vedanta Limited’s zinc assets in Africa. VZI is a grouping of zinc assets located in South Africa and Namibia, owned by the 6th largest Diversified Resources Company globally, Vedanta Limited. VZI is the largest integrated zinc operation in Africa, with a vision to be a globally renowned brand in the base metals sector. The BMC cluster, Black Mountain Mining (BMM) and Gamsberg Mine, represents VZI’s South African operations, while the Skorpion Zinc Mining and Refining operations are in Namibia.
VZI employs ~2700 people directly and indirectly, of which ~99% are local South Africans, ~ 80% are from the Northern Cape, and ~60% from the Namakwa District, where operations are located.
BMM comprises two underground shafts – Deeps and Swartberg – and a processing plant. The Deeps shaft produces copper, lead, and zinc, with silver as a by-product. Annual production is of the order of 102Ktpa of zinc-equivalent metal-in-concentrate.
The Swartberg shaft produces primarily copper and lead, with silver as a by-product. Annual production is of the order of 13.5Ktpa of metal-in-concentrate.
