AMN - SOUTH AFRICA: Vametco phase 2 expansion complete

Bushveld Minerals has completed the second phase of a three-phase expansion project at Bushveld Vametco Vanadium Project in South Africa, on time and within budget. This allows the company to take advantage of high vanadium priced which have persisted this year.

This phase of the expansion project increases annual production capacity from 3,035 million tonnes of vanadium achieved in phase 1, to 3,750 million tonnes, with a capex of US$2.5 million.

Bushveld Minerals CEO Fortune Mojapelo said: "The completion of phase 2 of the expansion plan is an important milestone on the company's journey to a 5,000 mtV per annum production capacity and beyond.

“The fact that this has been done in time and within budget is a testament to the discipline of the management team which we applaud.

“We look forward to the commencement of phase three as we seek to maximise throughput of this flagship asset."

Bushveld Minerals is a low-cost, integrated, primary vanadium producer with ownership of high-grade assets. 

The company's flagship vanadium platform includes a 59.1% controlling interest in Bushveld Vametco Alloys (Pty) Ltd, a primary vanadium mining and processing company; the Mokopane Vanadium Project and the Brits Vanadium Project.

Vametco is near Brits on the Western Limb of the Bushveld Complex. The integrated operation comprises a vanadium ore mine and a processing plant that produces Nitrovan^TM, a trademark product sold in major steel markets across the world.

The mine lies adjacent to the Brits Vanadium Project, which will in future serve as an alternative source of near-surface run of mine (ROM) ore feed to the Vametco plant.

The Vametco mining operation uses open pit bench mining methods to mine a well-defined ore body.

ROM ore is fed into a primary, secondary and tertiary crushing circuit, followed by milling and magnetic separation to produce magnetite concentrates.

The magnetite concentrates are fed into the extraction process which includes the kiln for roasting followed by leaching and precipitation.

Thereafter the precipitated vanadium as ammonium metavanadate is converted to modified vanadium oxide (MVO) in rotary calciners. MVO is fed into the mix plant and finally into the shaft furnaces to produce Nitrovan.

www.bushveldminerals.com