Mining Weekly reports that Birrell Mining International has reopened the recently acquired Bosveld Mining’s Klipwal gold mine in KwaZulu-Natal, the company said on Monday.  

Under the chairmanship of Graham Briggs, the former CEO of Harmony Gold, Birrell completed the purchase of Bosveld Mines from Stonewall Mining earlier this year, after having been responsible for the care-and-maintenance programme since early 2016.  Production began last month.  Owing to the high levels of illegal activity at Klipwal, it was decided to make use of the local former illegal miners as the main workforce, within strict safety regulations and managerial control and adherence to legislative requirements around contractor employment.  The former illegal zama-zamas, which have formed cooperatives, are contracted as legal personnel to complete hand-lashing and tramming within portions of the mine that are rendered safe by the company.  The cooperatives are remunerated on each ton lashed and trammed to a collection point.

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