18 May 2021

Ikongwe Iron Ore Mine explorers have been urged to engage a mining consultant for proper guidance on key safety and environmental regulations before resumption of an iron ore exploration project. 

Speaking during a site visit of the Ikongwe Iron Ore Mine, located in the Shoshong area, the Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Mr Lefoko Moagi, said having a proper mining consultant was key. 

He said the consultant would advise on the right area to mine, because ‘we want to see a proper mining plan’.

Mr Moagi advised them not to leave everything to the mine contractor, but start well with a mine planner before resumption of mining following all the right environmental guidelines and also ensure they rehabilitate the environment after completion of the project.

The minister also implored the team to consider mineral beneficiation for the country’s economic development and job creation.

“You need comprehensive plans right from the start to avoid exporting raw materials when we need to create jobs for Batswana. We want to have all value chain activities to be here so that we create jobs through labour that can be done by locals,” he added.    

For his part, Shoshong MP, Mr Aubrey Lesaso also advised the team to have a comprehensive plan that would help them make their mining operations more efficient and productive, thereby lowering their running costs. 

Mr Lesaso also stressed that it was imperative for the team to involve villagers.

The MP said a lot of small informal settlements would mushroom around the area, adding that there must be a plan to deal with them. 

He acknowledged that most people were hungry for jobs, so they hope the Ikongwe Iron Ore Mine would employ some of them for skills transfer and leave them trained enough to apply the skills elsewhere. 

Giving a brief overview of the project, Ikongwe Iron Ore Mine project geologist, Mr Kagiso Mareka said they invited the minister to the site to see the nearest iron ore deposits points, where mining would resume and appreciate the initial stages of the project. 

Mr Mareka said they were still in the early stages of the project and were working with the department of mines to complete all the necessary requirements, adding that they would resume mining in two or three months, after engaging with the relevant officials.

“Initially, we will engage contract miners, who will bring along their own machinery, as well as local mine engineers and metallurgists from the BCL mine,” he said, adding that for semi-skilled and unskilled labour they would employ people who are within a 50-kilometre radius, with special emphasis on Ikongwe, Shoshong and other nearby settlements.  

Mr Mareka said they looking at mining in the area for three to five years, depending on the amount of material that they would be able to recover and revamp.    

He said the iron ore generated from the project would be beneficiated into steel that could be used in associated industries in the country, revealing that they were expecting surveyors to be on site to mark the exploration target area this week. 

Vision Ridge Investment director, Mr Chetan Patil, thanked the minister for visiting, saying it had given them valuable input. ENDS