Karee 3 Sub Decline Shaft - EPCM

RSV provided the EPCM services for the Karee number 3 Sub-decline shaft project, including: engineering disciplines, procurement, cost control, construction management, safety management and overall project management.

The Karee number 3 shaft is 809m deep, production was 202,918tpm, shaft capacity was 290,000tpm, and full production was estimated by 2009 (based on 2009 figures).

The Karee number 3 shaft UG2 decline enabled Lonmin to mine the UG2 reef on four levels, between levels 21 and 25 and the sub-decline will balance the depletion of the Karee number 3 shaft from a production and mining efficiency point of view, ensuring continued availability of stope faces at the shaft. The work at the Karee 3 UG2 project consists of two separate contracts covering the extension of the UG2 decline and the ongoing operation and maintenance of the decline shaft.

Additional work also involved the development and associated civils work for the extension of the Karee 3 UG2 decline from Level 25 to Level 26 which included associated bulk infrastructure. The extension of the UG2 decline enabled Lonmin to access further ore reserves to increase production levels.