5 May 2010
The mining division of Gauteng-based engineering firm Thuthuka Group Limited (TGL), Matrix Metals has been awarded its first major project for a limestone operation in Mozambique. The contract encompasses the feasibility study up to bankable level for the exploitation of a Limestone resource and the subsequent development of the resource for the production of Limestone and related products as well as cement.
According to Matrix Metals’ Gerhard Bezuidenhout, the R4.5 billion limestone project is expected to have a return on investment in excess of market trends.
The initial reconnaissance drilling has been carried out and the results are extremely promising, says Bezuidenhout. Matrix Metals has also completed the first phase of the market study, which will be followed with a more detailed market study. The environmental management plan is about to be submitted for approval to the Mozambique authorities and once approval is granted, drilling to get the limestone reserve quantified will commence.
Bezuidenhout says there are three possible markets for the limestone, with the primary market being the production of clinker/cement, while the other two markets, which are limestone- related, are in the process of being developed by TGL.
The first limestone is expected to be produced in some 24 months’ time, while the production of clinker/cement is expected to take an additional 18 months to develop.
A Mozambican company called MOZMIN was formed, in partnership with a local partner, Sociedade Kin Investmentos E Participacoes Limitada, in which TGL has a majority shareholding of 70 per cent.
Bezuidenhout points out that Matrix Metals will be operating from a position of strength in Mozambique as TGL has vast experience in working on projects in Africa and is well equipped to deal with challenges such as dealing with different legislation requirements and setting up partnerships outside South Africa’s borders.
Utilising the engineering skills of the Thuthuka Group, Matrix Metals can offer complete turnkey operations in the development or re-engineering of new and existing operations which include the recovery of precious and base metals. The latter items expand on previous TGL operations recovering metals from existing tailings dams and rock dumps.
A particular area of interest for Matrix Metals is investment in green field mining developments in Africa as well as brown field operations, both locally and internationally.
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