PPT >> (Plant Problem Topic) Debswana (world's leading diamond producer by value) experiences problems with new plant (South Africa)

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

"The run-off mine production for the re-crush plant is currently being treated in the new recovery," he added. According to sources, there have been some problems with the conveyer belt which has led to the spilling over of untreated ore." -SNIP-

LINK TO STORY

Debswana experiences problems with new plant

Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone) February 4, 2000 By Prof Malema Staff Writer

Gaborone - The world's leading diamond producer by value, Debswana Diamond Company, has said it remains confident that it will complete its new treatment plant - The Aquarium - on schedule despite the fact that it has failed some tests.

"The official project completion date has always been the end of May. We were hoping for an earlier finish but this is now not likely," the Corporate Communication Manager, Jacob Sesinyi said in response to Mmegi's questions. He further pointed out that, "There have been some commissioning difficulties but they have been and are being addressed."

"The run-off mine production for the re-crush plant is currently being treated in the new recovery," he added. According to sources, there have been some problems with the conveyer belt which has led to the spilling over of untreated ore.

Meanwhile, contracts of the temporary workers which were supposed to have been terminated last month have been extended indefinitely. "The commissioning difficulties are the norm for a big high-tech project such as the Aquarium. There have been no problems to date that cannot be solved," he said when asked about the nature of the problems that have been so far encountered at the P368 million building. The 83 meter tall building, which will be the tallest in the country - after Orapa mine's Fish Eagle at 78 meters - will be fitted with hi-tech X -ray sorters.

It is expected to increase the diamond recovery efficiency by up to 97 percent from the present 95 middling and 88 percent fines. The building in Jwaneng mine which was commissioned in August 1996 at the same time with the Orapa expansion 2000, will also sort some of the diamonds from Debswana's other two mines of Letlhakane and Orapa in the north. "The sorting of the diamonds will be fully automated, to enhance both the security of the product and at the same time provide superior diamond recovery and the processing of the old recovery dumps," the outgoing General Manager of Jwaneng Mine, Derrick Moore said. Meanwhile, last week Debswana announced the completion of all production units at the P1.4 billion Orapa mine expansion project. The project is expected to raise the production level from 6 million carats per annum from this year. In a statement, Sesinyi said, "The build up to the production has been slower than originally anticipated, and full plant tonnage has not yet been reached on sustainable basis, with the current month (January), achieving approximately 70 percent rated throughput," he said referring to the lower tonnage treated between October and December last year. During that period the plant treated 1.4 million tons and recovered 1.68 million carats.

"The plant optimisation, de-bottlenecking and associated modification work are going on, and management is confident the current throughput problems would be resolved," he said. The two projects are expected to have a great impact on the country's gross domestic product (GDP). Presently, diamonds contribute 33 percent to the GDP and as the two projects take-off this year, the industry's contribution is estimated to grow by 15 percent.

Copyright (c) 2000 Mmegi/The Reporter. Distributed via Africa News Online (www.africanews.org).

[Note: Fair Use for Education and Research Purpose Only]

===================================================

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), February 14, 2000


Moderation questions? read the FAQ