28 Nov 2021

Lucara Botswana has a transition plan of how workers’ skills would be utilised as the mine goes underground, Readiness Manager for underground project, Mr Leonard Marumo has informed  Boteti councillors.

Speaking during a recent tour of the mine by councillors, Mr Marumo said the mine had a programme in place aimed at retooling and up-skilling employees to position them for underground mining.

He indicated that UMS Botswana, a shaft sinking contractor, had a mandate to implement a well-documented skills transfer programme monitored by Lucara Botswana.

Mr Marumo stated that project would transition the open-pit mining to underground mining. 

Construction activities for underground mining, he said, commenced in 2020 and production was targeted for 2026.

He said US$64. 6 million (about P764.1 million), had been spent as at September 30, primarily in relation to engineering and procurement of long lead items as well as commencement of construction activities. 

The target expenditure  for 2021, he said, was up to US$120 million.

He said the Longhole Shrinkage mining method was based on a panel or block cave layout similar to block cave, and the mine design included main extraction level at the bottom of mine from which all production of ore would be mucked.

Mr Marumo said underground mine was expected to produce up to 2.7 million tonnes of ore per year with a total of horizontal development of 20.300mt.

For his part, Lucara Botswana General Manager, Mr Johane Mchive said Lucara had engaged 625 people at different stages as they progressed to the building  of underground mine project.

Mr Mchive indicated that amongst them 534 were Batswana whilst 154 were locals from Boteti Sub-district.

He said contractors engaged in the mine hired transport or buses from Letlhakane residents. Mr Mchive also said Lucara had a transparent recruitment plan, adding that tenders for Lucara were advertised and 688 companies registered with them. New companies engaged by Lucara, he said, were introduced to the village chief and district commissioner.

Furthermore, he stated that Lucara had direct employees that included contractors and at peak ranging between 1 200-1 600 employees.

Mr Mchive said Lucara had built 12 institutional houses for employees presenting opportunity for the community to provide housing to the rest of the employees.

He said Lucara campsite had accommodated 200 people who would be engaged in the underground project as it went through different development phases. 

The rest of the workforce engaged at the project, he said stayed at Letlhakane village. 

Mr Mchive and Mr Marumo were responding to questions asked by the councilors during the mine tour.

Mmatshumo Councillor, Mr Gasethata Oagile had expressed fears that some people might lose jobs when the mine went underground.

Councillor Balopi Chilume of Orapa raised concern that there was lack of transparency at Lucara. He requested to be briefed on the criteria employed in recruiting expatriate companies and big local companies.

Mr Balopi said Lucara was not doing well in giving residents  competitive advantage in terms of awarding tenders.

He also requested to be updated on the safety of personnel as the mine has commenced underground mining. 

The aim of the tour was to appreciate progress with regards to underground mining. 

ends