Skip to main content

Manganese
estimates as at 31 December 2009

Samancor Manganese

The Ore Reserve and Mineral Resource estimates were compiled in accordance with The SAMREC Code, 2007 and The JORC Code, 2004 as applicable.
THE MINERAL RESOURCES INCLUDE ORE RESERVES.

The figures reported represent 100% of the Ore Reserves and Mineral Resources (source: BHP Billiton). Rounding of figures may cause computational discrepancies.

Manganese
Ore Reserves		 Tonnes   Grade   Yield
Attributable % LOM Classification   2009 2008   2009 2008   2009 2008
GEMCO (OP)(1) 40.0 14     Mt Mt   %Mn %Mn   % %
      Proved   67.5 71.9   46.8 48.2   50.8 49.4
      Probable   43.2 43.9   46.4 47.1   47.9 47.0
      Total   110.7 115.8   46.7 47.8   49.7 48.5
Hotazel - Mamatwan (OP)(2)(3) 36.4 22           %Mn %Mn      
      Proved   53.6 40.5   37.8 37.7      
      Probable   24.8 8.1   37.2 36.8      
      Total   78.4 48.6   37.6 37.6      
Hotazel - Wessels (UG)(2)(4) 36.4 49           %Mn %Mn      
      Proved   5.1 3.9   45.5 46.5      
      Probable   68.4 14.9   43.0 45.3      
      Total   73.5 18.8   43.2 45.5      
Manganese
Mineral Resources		     Tonnes   Grade   Yield
Attributable %   Classification   2009 2008   2009 2008   2009 2008
GEMCO (OP)(5) 40.0       Mt Mt   %Mn %Mn   % %
      Measured   71.2 74.6   46.3 46.3   44.4 44.2
      Indicated   46.6 47.5   46.0 46.0   44.0 44.0
  Measured and Indicated   117.9 122.1   46.2 46.2   44.2 44.1
      Inferred   39.0 39.1   43.3 43.4   45.2 44.1
Hotazel - Mamatwan (OP)(2)(6) 36.4             %Mn %Mn      
      Measured   79.6 51.8   35.8 37.6      
      Indicated   45.3 13.9   34.3 36.3      
  Measured and Indicated   124.9 65.7   35.3 37.3      
      Inferred   3.1 1.7   33.1 35.6      
Hotazel - Wessels (UG)(2)(7) 36.4             %Mn %Mn      
      Measured   12.1 6.7   46.3 47.3      
      Indicated   132.0 119.6   44.2 44.0      
  Measured and Indicated   144.1 126.3   44.4 44.1      
      Inferred   - -   - -      

Mining method: OP = Open Pit, UG = Underground. LOM = Life of Mine in years based on scheduled Ore Reserves.
Mamatwan tonnages stated as wet metric tonnes. Wessels and GEMCO tonnages stated as dry metric tonnes.
Due to the uncertainty that may be attached to some Inferred Mineral Resources, it cannot be assumed that all or part of an Inferred Mineral Resource will necessarily be upgraded to an Indicated or Measured Resource after continued exploration.

(1)
GEMCO - Ore Reserves: Changes are the result of pricing changes between FY08 and FY09.
(2)
Hotazel Manganese Mines: An agreement has been reached between Hotazel Manganese Mines and empowerment consortium Ntsimbintle Mining (Pty) Ltd. The Ntsimbintle agreement has been signed by both parties and approved by the South African Government. This transaction allows for the inclusion of part of the Prospecting Rights held by Ntsimbintle into the Mamatwan and Wessels Mining Area in exchange for 9% equity in Hotazel Manganese Mines, thereby adding the resources within the Ntsimbintle Prospecting Right to the Mamatwan and Wessels Mining Rights through a Section 102 conversion. The rights have been transferred to and are now held by a new company called Hotazel Manganese Mines (Pty) Ltd, effective as at 16 April 2009 subsequent to a section 11 (Act 28/2002) approval by the South African Department of Minerals and Energy (DME). The Anglo American share of Wessels and Mamatwan mines (Hotazel Manganese Mines) therefore drops to 36.4%.
(3)
Mamatwan - Ore Reserves: Changes in tonnages are due to a refinement of densities used for various zones within the orebody, inclusion of Ntsimbintle Ore Reserves, changes in final pillar layout (due to inclusion of Ntsimbintle Ore Reserves) resulting in more reserves being available for mining and depletion due to production.
(4)
Wessels - Ore Reserves: The main reasons for the increase in Ore Reserves are the inclusion of the Upper Body into the LOM Plan, the inclusion of the Ntsimbintle part of the Lower Body, refinement of the geological model after the addition of new drillhole and geological data and production depletion. New scheduling software and updated modifying factors have been used for the resource to reserve conversion.
(5)
GEMCO - Mineral Resources: All changes are as a result of depletion due to mining.
(6)
Mamatwan - Mineral Resources: Mineral Resources have been declared above a 35% Mn cut-off grade and now includes Mineral Resources contributed by Ntsimbintle Mining (Pty) Ltd. A major positive change in tonnage is due to the inclusion of the balance of the Top Cut (after removal of the X-zone). Changes also due to a refinement in the density methodology used. The X Zone and Top Cut (Balance) are also declared as Mineral Resource. As a matter of course, this material has to be mined in the process of accessing the economic M, C and N Zones and, depending on market conditions, now has potential economic value. Please note that the modelling and tonnage declaration of an area of 118,753 m² on the western side within the Ntsimbintle portion remains outstanding due to insufficient data. This will, following the approval of the South African Government and delineation of official boundaries, be evaluated for inclusion in 2010.
(7)
Wessels - Mineral Resources: Figures include those resources contributed by Ntsimbintle Mining (Pty) Ltd. A decrease in the Upper Body resource is reported after a complete rerun of the block model with the addition of new drillhole data and subsequent geological re-interpretation. Changes in the Lower Body Resource are, apart from production depletion, due to a rerun of the block model with the addition of new drillhole and underground face sampling data, geological re-interpretation, adjustment of the sub-outcrop position in places and the addition of re-evaluated remnant ore blocks.

Back to top

Annual Report 2009