Northam Platinum Holdings officially opened the Zondereinde No 3 Shaft on Friday — a 1,382-metre vertical personnel and materials shaft that is now the world's deepest raise-bored platinum group metals shaft.

The 4.8-metre-diameter shaft forms the centrepiece of the mine's Western extension project near Thabazimbi in Limpopo. The extension adds 3.6 kilometres of mineable strike to the west of existing operations and contains more than 20 million ounces of PGMs in the Merensky and UG2 reefs.

Northam spent R6.3 billion to reach commissioning. The shaft is designed to transport people, materials and services to the Western extension, easing logistical constraints associated with servicing the area from Zondereinde's existing shaft complex 4 kilometres away.

Safety first

Chief executive Paul Dunne said the project demonstrated the company's engineering capability and commitment to safety.

"The hole in the ground was made by a machine with no people at risk. At this depth, this is the first time it has been done in South Africa," Dunne said.

Dunne said the project secures the long-term future of the mine's workforce. "We're going to extend the life of the Zondereinde mine by 40 years. There are 12,000 employees here at Zondereinde, and this project secures their future and their children's future for many, many years to come," he said.

Next phase under way

The next phase — sinking a rock shaft — is already well under way. Dunne said No 4 Shaft, at 1,500 metres, would set another world record. The refrigeration plant designed to cool 70°C virgin rock temperatures and drive hydraulic equipment is also the single largest in the world.

The expanded footprint is expected to create about 600 additional direct, sustainable jobs while securing Zondereinde's contribution to employment and economic activity in Limpopo.

Dunne said the investment reflected Northam's confidence in South Africa's mining industry. "This investment, together with the No. 4 Shaft investment over the next five years, is a very significant indication that we believe in our industry, we believe in our country, and we believe in the metals we mine," he said.