Bokoni Concentrator Plant Upgrade Completed
January 19 2010 - 8:30AM
PR Newswire (US)
VANCOUVER, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Anooraq Resources
Corporation ("Anooraq" or the "Company") (TSXV: ARQ; NYSE Amex:
ANO; JSE: ARQ) announces the completion of its concentrator plant
upgrade project at the Company's Bokoni Platinum Mines ("Bokoni"),
located 330 km from Johannesburg, South Africa. The project
included an upgrade on the main stream pumps to accommodate
additional production throughput, the introduction of cyclone
clusters for more efficient classification and an upgrade to the
Merensky concentrator primary mill from an autogenous grinding mill
to a semi-autogenous grinding mill to assist with grind of run of
mine ore. The total capital spent on the concentrator plant upgrade
was ZAR 118 million (CAD$ 16.5 million) and the project was
completed in time and within budget estimates. The plant upgrade
increases Bokoni's milling capacity to 165,000 tonnes per month
("tpm"), of which 120,000 tpm of production is anticipated to come
from the Merensky Reef and 45,000 tpm from the UG2 Reef. This
upgrade ensures the Bokoni concentrator plant is ready to
accommodate the Company's planned first phase production expansion
plan to 160,000 tpm by 2014. Philip Kotze, CEO of Anooraq, said "We
remain focused on turning the Bokoni mine into a profitable and
sustainable operation. Increased production throughput going
forward is a key ingredient for our success at the mine, both on
the production and costs sides of the equation. This is one of the
key projects we identified on the critical path when we first
assumed operational control at Bokoni and we are pleased that the
concentrator plant now has sufficient capacity to mill all of our
first phase growth production plan feed building up to 2014." For
further information, please visit our website
http://www.anooraqresources.co.za/media/press_release.asp, call
investor services in South Africa at +27 11 883 0831 or in North
America at 1 800 667 2114 or use the contacts referenced below.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release. Cautionary and Forward Looking
Information This release includes certain statements that may be
deemed "forward looking statements". All statements in this
release, other than statements of historical facts, that address
potential acquisitions, future production, reserve potential,
exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or
developments that Anooraq expects are forward looking statements.
Anooraq believes that such forward looking statements are based on
reasonable assumptions. Forward looking statements however, are not
guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments
may differ materially from those in forward looking statements.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those in forward looking statements include market prices,
exploitation and exploration successes, changes in and the effect
of government policies with respect to mining and natural resource
exploration and exploitation and continued availability of capital
and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions.
Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees
of future performance and those actual results or developments may
differ materially from those projected in the forward looking
statements. For further information on Anooraq, investors should
review the Company`s form 20-F with the United States Securities
and Exchange Commission and its annual information form and other
home jurisdiction filings that are available at
http://www.sedar.com/. DATASOURCE: Anooraq Resources Corporation
CONTACT: Queries: Joel Kesler, Executive: Corporate and Business
Development, Office: +27 11 779 6800
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