Venetia: A new era for South Africa’s flagship diamond mine
February 2, 2024By Gerard Peter
“2013 was a milestone year for diamond miner De Beers. Not only did the company celebrate its 125th anniversary but in that year, it also embarked on an ambitious underground expansion of its Tier One Venetia Mine in South Africa.
Fast track to 2024 and the Venetia Underground Project (VUP) is well on its way to reach nameplate capacity from 2027 onwards. GERARD PETER finds out more from KOBUS VAN DEN BERG, General Manager: Underground Production at De Beers Venetia.
Venetia is synonymous with the South African diamond mining industry. Located in Limpopo, it started production in 1992. Until it ceased open-pit operations at the end of 2022, it contributed 40 % of the country’s annual diamond production. In 2013, De Beers announced that it would invest US$2.3 billion dollars in VUP, marking the single biggest investment in the country’s mining sector in decades. The underground expansion will extend the life of mine to 2046.
The mine is expected to produce up to 5.9 Mt of kimberlite ore annually, to be used in the extraction of nearly 4.5 million carats of diamonds per year. In 2014, Murray & Roberts Cementation was selected as the preferred contractor to undertake the development of an underground operation. The Underground consists of two distinct areas, namely the Top of Mine and the Bottom of Mine. First production will come from the 46 Level rim tunnel which is slightly above the K01 open pit operation, which is located between 450 – 500 m below surface.
The top of the mine will deliver about 4 Mtpa for about four years as operations transition to production at the bottom which will enable the mine to reach nameplate capacity from 2027 onwards. In June 2023, the company celebrated delivery of first production at VUP. “We are currently in the build-up phase and producing 12 000 tpm which is in line with our goal of getting to steady state,” Van den Berg states. First production marked a momentous occasion for Van den Berg on a journey he has been part of since September 2020. He started at the VUP on secondment through Anglo-American and was appointed in his current position in November 2022.
For a mine that was in operation for 30 years, making the transition to an underground operation was no small feat. “Right from the outset, we knew that transitioning to a world-class underground operation which will be mostly automated would not happen overnight. Since inception, De Beers has adhered to an operational readiness framework defined by the four tenets, namely assets, process, systems and people,” Van den Berg explains.
He emphasises that the success of the project relies heavily on its workforce. “Going into an underground operation requires a complete shift in mindset. As a result, we have partnered with a Tier One contractor to teach the necessary skillsets. This is done through the training and assessments of our employees. In this way, we will ensure that no one is left behind and that they have the necessary skills to take this project further.””
Source: Mining Review Africa
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