ore reserves and mineral resources 2011 report - Anglo American ...

SECURING OUR FUTURE
ORE RESERVES AND MINERAL RESOURCES
Platreef (open-pit operations)
Together with the application of modifying factors, the pit design
determines the economic pit shell.
Scheduling within the economic pit shell according to the relevant
mines’ production requirements defines the Scheduled Reserves.
The Scheduled Reserves are peer-reviewed and signed off by the
competent person(s).
The 2011 Ore Reserve has been estimated using pit designs
derived from the 2010 Mineral Resource. Mining studies are in
progress to identify the optimal pit design.
Rock dumps (surface sources)
Bulk samples taken on historical surface rock dumps have
demonstrated the intermittent presence of low-grade reef material.
This stems from historical haulage development on PGM-bearing
markers such as the Pseudo Reef 1, and from suboptimal orehandling
processes used in the past.
Owing to the difficulty of effectively evaluating large-scale rock
dumps, surface rock dumps across operations are not reported
under the Ore Reserve and Mineral Resource estimates. Instead,
they are considered as Mineral Deposits.
However, rock dumps that have indicated potential are further
sampled and evaluated on a localised basis for processing as a part
of surface sources material where concentrator capacity is available.
During 2011, this occurred at Union, Tumela, Khomanani and
Siphumelele mines.
A register of all competent persons has been lodged with the
Company secretary. The head of Mineral Resource Management
confirms that the Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves information
in this report is published in the form and context in which it was
intended.
EXTERNAL REVIEWS
In compliance with an internal three-year external review-and-audit
schedule, Snowden Mining Industry Consultants (SMIC) were
contracted to conduct the following:
A detailed process review of the Mineral Resource and Reserve
generations at the Khomanani, Tumela and Union mines.
An assessment of the remedial actions put in place as a
consequence of the 2010 process review at the Bathopele,
Siphumelele, Thembelani, Dishaba and Mogalakwena mines.
A detailed numerical audit of data gathering, evaluation and
of the reporting of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves at the
Tumela, Union and Mogalakwena mines.
Snowden states in their evaluation summary: “In Snowden’s opinion
APL has estimated Resources and Reserves for the Union, Tumela,
Mogalakwena and Khomanani operations in accordance with the
definitions and guidelines contained in the SAMREC Code. The
processes employed by APL for Mineral Resource and Mineral
Reserve estimation are well aligned with industry practice. Snowden
did not identify any material errors during the numbers audit of the
Union, Tumela and Mogalakwena operations.”
COMPETENCE AND RESPONSIBILITY
In accordance with the Listings Requirements of the JSE Limited,
Amplats prepared its Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve statements
for all operations with reference to the 2007 guidelines and
definitions of the South African Mineral Resource Committee
(SAMREC). Competent persons have been appointed and assume
responsibility for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve statements
for all our operations and projects, as required.
Gordon Smith (Pr Eng, PhD, MBA, MSc (Eng), BSc (Eng))
Engineering Council of SA (930124)
Head: Mineral Resource Management
Anglo American Platinum Limited
Johannesburg
9 February 2012
12 ANGLO AMERICAN PLATINUM LIMITED 2011