Palabora

South Africa's most sophisticated copper mine

The Palabora mine is located 360 kilometres north east of Pretoria in South Africa. It is the country's leading copper producer and is also a major source of vermiculite. The original open pit operation was closed when it reached its final economic depth in 2002, prior to closure, an underground mine had begun with the prospect of a further 20 years of exploitation.

Palabora operates an underground block cave mine and an open pit operation. Breaking new ground technically Palabora underground is the largest open pit that hoists the biggest volume on a single shaft. The underground operation has a design capacity of 30,000 tonnes per day of good ore at 0.7% copper, but it is currently pushing the envelope by hoisting in excesses of 34,000 tonnes per day. This is supplemented by 25,000 tonnes per day of surface marginal ore, which was previously not profitable to treat during the copper open pit mine. An expansion project is underway to increase the current lifting life of the mine whilst conceptual studies for the second lift have kicked off. The open pit has a mine life of 22 years and is currently moving 8,000 tonnes per day of fibre free vermiculite.

During 2007, Palabora treated 11.988 million tonnes of ore at an average grade of 0.70% copper. The on-site smelter produced 91,000 tonnes of finished copper metal. The Palabora complex uses one of the most sophisticated recovery circuits installed at any copper mine, producing eight metal, mineral and chemical products in around 20 different varieties and grades. The complex includes a concentrator, copper smelter and refinery, capable of producing 135,000 tonnes per year of copper and by-products.

The operation employs around 2,200 people.