MINING
20 kilometres east of the town of Aggeneys in the Northern Cape , and is one of the largest known , unexploited deposits of zinc in the world .
While the grade of zinc is relatively low ( between six and 6.5 percent ), the current reserve and resource sits at 214 million tonnes , which translates into an estimated mine life of 30 years . To fully exploit this , further drilling will be required to prove additional reserves .
Vedanta has awarded a contract to develop the mine at Gamsberg to Aveng Moolmans , with production expected to begin in 2018 and lasting around 13 years . The project is expected to employ 850- 900 people when operational .
A total of 50 million bank cubic metres of waste and ore is expected to be mined in the first 44-month period , with at least some of the sulphide zinc concentrate being trucked over to the refinery at Skorpion . A decision on whether to build a standalone refinery at Gamsberg will not be considered until phase one is completed , meaning Skorpion has a vital role to play in the initial production process .
This is not the first involvement of Aveng in the Skorpion project . Back in 2003 , the company built the original sulphuric acid plant , producing two types of acid - industrial and chemically pure . The waste heat generated from the acid plant is used to produce steam and keep the Skorpion refinery at optimum temperature .
There are also two 14MW electrode boilers to produce steam if the acid plant is down at any time .
Giving back As well as proving to be a substantial employer for the Rosh Pinah region and beyond , Vedanta and Skorpion Zinc are giving back to the community in other ways .
The Skorpion Zinc Karas Goat Project aims to boost the economic emancipation of rural people in Namibia . The project , which started in March 2012 , aims to contribute towards poverty eradication in Namibia by affording rural , underprivileged families a sustainable entrepreneurial opportunity to improve their livelihoods
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