SANDTON, SOUTH AFRICA – Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN; OTCQX: IVPAF) Executive Co-Chair Robert Friedland announced today that the company has secured options to use electricity generated from renewable, green, solar power together with liquefied natural gas (LNG) to power its Tier-One Platreef palladium, rhodium, nickel, platinum, copper and gold project in South Africa.
Construction of Ivanhoe’s first solar power plant at the Platreef Mine is set to begin next month. The initial 5-megawatt (MW) plant is expected to begin supplying clean, solar-generated electricity to the mine in early 2023.
“We have committed to our stakeholders that we will explore every avenue available to minimize the environmental impact of producing metals that are critical to the electrification of the global economy,” said Mr. Friedland. “Powering our massive Platreef Mine with reliable electricity generated by ‘green power’ options, such as solar and natural gas, offers a 24-hour-a-day alternative to the coal-fired national electrical grid and dramatically reduces Platreef’s carbon emissions. A power plant running on natural gas generates approximately 50% fewer carbon dioxide emissions than one burning coal.”
“Having a reliable source of clean, renewable electricity from a solar-power plant at the Platreef Mine is an important step in our journey toward net-zero carbon emissions,” Mr. Friedland added.
In 2021, South Africa’s government officially raised the licencing threshold for embedded generation projects from 1 MW to 100 MW, clearing the way for miners to start generating their own electricity.
Design and engineering of the initial 5-MW solar plant at the Platreef Mine is complete and construction is set to commence next month, with commissioning expected in early 2023. The solar-generated power from this initial plant will be used for mine development and construction activities, as well as for charging Platreef’s battery-powered underground mining fleet, further reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Construction is progressing rapidly at the Platreef Mine and initial production is expected from the first phase of operations in Q3 2024. Ivanhoe expects the Platreef Mine to require approximately 30 MW of installed electrical power for its Phase 1 operations, and approximately 100 MW for its Phase 2 operations at full production.
Ivanhoe Mines indirectly owns 64% of the Platreef Project through its subsidiary, Ivanplats, and is directing all mine development work. The South African beneficiaries of the approved broad-based, black economic empowerment structure have a 26% stake in the Platreef Project. The remaining 10% is owned by a Japanese consortium of ITOCHU Corporation; Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation; ITC Platinum Development Ltd., an ITOCHU affiliate; and Japan Gas Corporation.
Strategic investment in Renergen Limited gives Ivanhoe the exclusive right to negotiate an electricity offtake agreement
In addition to moving forward on constructing its first solar-power facility at the Platreef Mine, Ivanplats has acquired the exclusive right to negotiate an offtake agreement with South Africa-based Renergen Limited for electricity generated from Renergen’s gas and solar hybrid-power facility to be constructed at the Virginia Gas Project located in South Africa’s Witwatersrand Basin, approximately 600 kilometres south west of the Platreef Mine.
Ivanhoe is confident that the electricity generated from Renergen’s gas and solar hybrid-power facility could be combined with Ivanhoe’s solar power facilities to provide Platreef with an uninterruptible power supply to meet the mine’s base-load requirements.
Renergen is an emerging producer of helium, energy and liquefied natural gas (LNG) with near-term production and sales of compressed natural gas (CNG) and helium from its Virginia Gas Project that comprises exploration and production rights of 187,000 hectares (1,870 square kilometres) of gas fields across Welkom, Virginia, and Theunissen, in the Free State, South Africa.
Ivanhoe has made an initial equity investment in Renergen of approximately US$13 million, which gives Ivanhoe an approximate 4.35% interest in Renergen’s issued and outstanding shares. Ivanhoe also has the right to nominate one director to Renergen’s board of directors, and is entitled to customary anti-dilution rights. Renergen is listed on the JSE and A2X exchanges under the ticker REN and on the ASX under the ticker RLT.
Under the terms of the initial investment, Ivanhoe has the option to subscribe for up to 25% of the total issued and outstanding Renergen shares following the assessment period, at a 10% discount to the 30-day VWAP, in consideration for cash or shares in Ivanhoe. Further to this second subscription, Ivanhoe will have the option to subscribe for up to 55% of the total issued and outstanding shares, at a 10% discount to the 30-day VWAP, to provide the equity funding for Phase 2 at the Virginia Gas Project.
Ivanhoe Mines and Renergen senior officials sign the agreement for Ivanhoe’s initial equity investment in Renergen. Front row (L-R): David King (Chairman, Renergen), Marna Cloete (President, Ivanhoe Mines), Stefano Marani (CEO, Renergen); Back row (L-R): Nick Mitchell (COO, Renergen), David van Heerden (CFO, Ivanhoe Mines).
The Virginia Gas Project’s natural gas formation is a result of a freak cosmological event approximately two billion years ago that saw the largest known asteroid ever to hit the planet plough into South Africa’s Witwatersrand geological complex, near the town of Vredefort.
The impact of the giant asteroid created the largest known crater on earth (the Vredefort Crater), roughly 330 kilometres in diameter. The impact essentially created a seal, capping ultra-rich underground deposits of uranium and thorium in place, allowing the minerals to undergo natural radioactive decay to produce alpha particles, which become helium.
The impact of the asteroid also established the ideal conditions for early bacteria to congregate. Much like how chlorophyll in plants feed off radioactive energy from the sun, these early bacteria evolved to feed off the radioactivity from the uranium to metabolize carbon in the rocks into methane. Thus, the alpha particles serve not only the purpose of creating high helium concentrations, but also providing the energy required to allow bacteria to live deep underground, which is why this gas reserve has been classified as renewable by the Petroleum Agency of South Africa.
While the methane produced from the Virginia Gas Project is not zero-carbon, it is believed to be regenerated by these bacteria, which explains the exceedingly long lifespan of the wells, most of which were drilled several decades ago and have shown no signs of decreasing in flow.
The Virginia Gas Project also contains one of the richest helium concentrations recorded globally, with readings of up to 12%. Helium is in high demand for use in a range of technologies, including advanced rockets and spacecraft, semiconductors, fibre-optic cables, computer chips, welding, industrial leak detection, cryogenics, nuclear power plants, laboratory equipment and MRI machines.
Aerial view of Renergen’s Phase 1 compressed natural gas and helium production facility at the Virginia Gas Project, which is set for commissioning in May 2022.
Renergen’s Virginia Gas Project is located approximately 600 kilometres southwest of the Platreef Project.
Geological map showing Renergen’s Production and Exploration Rights (in the red circle) on the rim of the Vredefort Crater, formed by an asteroid strike approximately two billion years ago, where natural helium is produced from the radioactive decay of ultra-high uranium concentrations below the crater.
More information can be found on Renergen’s website at https://www.renergen.co.za/
Platreef charging ahead with securing the water and power needed to expand the mine into one of the world’s largest and greenest PGMs, nickel and copper producers
Ivanhoe recently announced that the Platreef Mine had signed new agreements for the rights to receive local, treated waste water to supply the bulk water needed for the planned phased development at Platreef.
Under the terms of a new offtake agreement, the Mogalakwena Local Municipality has agreed to supply at least three million litres per day of treated effluent, up to a maximum of 10 million litres per day for 32 years, from the date of first production, sourced from the town of Mokopane’s Masodi Waste Water Treatment Works, currently under construction.
“The Platreef Project has outstanding, near-surface exploration potential to significantly add to the project’s current nickel-rich mineral resources,” said Mr. Friedland. “To capitalize fully on Platreef’s incredible mineral endowment, we need to first secure sustainable sources of power and water.”
About Ivanhoe Mines
Ivanhoe Mines is a Canadian mining company focused on advancing its three principal projects in Southern Africa: the development of major new, mechanized, underground mines at the Kamoa-Kakula copper discoveries in the Democratic Republic of Congo and at the Platreef palladium-rhodium-platinum-nickel-copper-gold discovery in South Africa; and the extensive redevelopment and upgrading of the historic Kipushi zinc-copper-germanium-silver mine, also in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kamoa-Kakula is the world’s fastest growing major copper mine. Kamoa-Kakula began producing copper concentrates in May 2021 and, through phased expansions, is positioned to become one of the world's largest copper producers. Kamoa-Kakula is being powered by clean, renewable hydro-generated electricity and is projected to be among the world’s lowest greenhouse gas emitters per unit of metal produced. Ivanhoe Mines has pledged to achieve net-zero operational greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1 and 2) at the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Mine. Ivanhoe also is exploring for new copper discoveries on its Western Foreland exploration licences in the Democratic Republic of Congo, near the Kamoa-Kakula Project.
Information contacts
Investors: Bill Trenaman +1.604.331.9834 / Media: Matthew Keevil +1.604.558.1034
Cautionary statement on forward-looking information
Certain statements in this news release constitute “forward-looking statements” or “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the company, the Platreef Project, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “scheduled”, “forecast”, “predict” and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the company’s current expectations regarding future events, performance and results, and speak only as of the date of this news release.
The forward-looking statements and forward-looking information in this news release include without limitation, (i) statements regarding initial production is expected from Platreef’s first phase of operations in Q3 2024; (ii) statements regarding plans to generate an initial 5 MW of electrical power from an adjacent solar power plant; (iii) statements regarding construction of the solar plant is set to commence next month and commissioning is expected in early 2023; and (iv) statements regarding expectations that the Platreef Mine will require approximately 8 MW of installed electrical power for its Phase 1 operations, and approximately 100 MW for its Phase 2 operations at full production.
All such forward-looking information and statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by Ivanhoe Mines’ management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believe are appropriate in the circumstances. These statements, however, are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information or statements including, but not limited to, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of parties to contracts to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; unexpected failure or inadequacy of infrastructure, industrial accidents or machinery failure (including of shaft sinking equipment), or delays in the development of infrastructure, and the failure of exploration programs or other studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued studies, development or operations. Other important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements also include those described under the heading “Risk Factors” in the company’s most recently filed MD&A as well as in the most recent Annual Information Form filed by Ivanhoe Mines. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. Certain of the factors and assumptions used to develop the forward-looking information and statements, and certain of the risks that could cause the actual results to differ materially are presented in technical reports available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Ivanhoe Mines website at www.ivanhoemines.com.
Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the company believes are reasonable assumptions, the company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release.
The company’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of the factors set forth below in the “Risk Factors” section in the company’s 2021 Q4 and Year-End MD&A and its current annual information form.
南非桑顿 — 艾芬豪矿业 (TSX: IVN; OTCQX: IVPAF) 执行联席董事长罗伯特·弗里兰德 (Robert Friedland) 和孙玉峰（Miles Sun）今天宣布，公司位于南非的普拉特瑞夫 (Platreef) 钯-铑-镍-铂-铜-金国际顶级矿山确定采用可再生的环保太阳能以及液化天然气发电的能源方案。
艾芬豪在普拉特瑞夫矿山建造的第一座太阳能发电厂将于下月动工，预计5 MW的初始发电厂将于2023年初开始为矿山提供清洁的太阳能电力。
弗里兰德先生说﹕“我们向利益相关方作出承诺，在生产全球经济迈向电气化发展所需的关键金属时，将探索所有可用的途径将对环境造成的影响降到最低。普拉特瑞夫大型矿山采用太阳能和天然气等“绿色能源”的稳定供电方案，可替代24小时燃煤发电的国家电网，并显着降低碳排放。天然气发电厂的二氧化碳排放量约为燃煤发电的一半。”
弗里兰德先生补充说﹕“在普拉特瑞夫矿山建造的太阳能发电厂将为矿山提供清洁、可再生的稳定电力供应，是我们实现净零排放的重要一步。”
2021年，南非政府正式将并网发电项目的许可上限从1 MW提升至100 MW，为矿业公司自建发电设施提供便利。
普拉特瑞夫的5 MW初始太阳能发电厂的设计和工程设计已经完成，并计划于下月开始施工，预计于2023年初投产。初始发电厂的太阳能将用于矿山开发和建设活动，以及为普拉特瑞夫的电池驱动地下采矿设备充电，进一步减少二氧化碳的排放。
普拉特瑞夫矿山的建设工程正快速推进，预计将于2024年第三季度启动I期投产。艾芬豪预计普拉特瑞夫矿山I期建设的装机容量需求约30 MW，II期全面投产后电力需求将提升至约100 MW。
艾芬豪矿业通过其子公司Ivanplats间接持有普拉特瑞夫项目64%的权益。《全面提高黑人经济实力法案》的南非受益人持有普拉特瑞夫项目26%的权益，其余10%权益由伊藤忠商事株式会社、日本石油天然气和金属国家公司和日本天然气公司组成的日本财团持有。
艾芬豪战略入股Renergen公司，获得电力包销协议谈判的排他性优先权
Ivanplats在普拉特瑞夫矿山建造首个太阳能发电厂的同时，还获得排他性权利与南非Renergen公司磋商天然气和太阳能混合发电厂的电力供应包销协议。混合发电厂将建设在Renergen公司的弗吉尼亚 (Virginia) 天然气项目内。该项目位于南非威特沃特斯兰德 (Witwatersrand) 盆地，距离普拉特瑞夫矿山西南面约600公里。
艾芬豪相信，Renergen天然气和太阳能混合发电厂与艾芬豪的太阳能发电厂能够共同为普拉特瑞夫提供不间断的电源供应，以满足矿山的基荷需求。
Renergen是一家新兴的氦气、能源和液化天然气 (LNG) 生产商，从事短期生产和销售来自其弗吉尼亚天然气项目的压缩天然气 (CNG) 和氦气。弗吉尼亚天然气项目涵盖187,000公顷 (1,870平方公里) 气田的勘查和生产权，横跨南非自由州省的韦尔科姆 (Welkom)、弗吉尼亚和特尼森 (Theunissen)。
艾芬豪首次对Renergen公司1,300万美元的股权投资，获得Renergen已发行股份约4.35%的权益。同时，艾芬豪有权提名一名董事席位，并有权行使反稀释权。Renergen在约翰内斯堡证券交易所 (JSE) 和南非A2X 交易所上市 (股票代码为REN)，以及在澳大利亚证券交易所 (ASX) 上市 (股票代码为RLT)。
根据首轮投资协议条款，艾芬豪可选择在评估期后，以现金或股票形式，按30天加权平均交易价格10%折扣的条件，认购Renergen公司25%的已发行股份。第二轮入股完成后，艾芬豪可选择按30天加权平均交易价格的10%折扣的条件，认购Renergen公司不多于55%的已发行股份，为弗吉尼亚天然气项目II期提供股本资金。]
艾芬豪矿业与Renergen公司高层签字仪式。前排 (从左至右)﹕Renergen公司董事长大卫·金 (David King)、艾芬豪矿业总裁玛娜·克洛特 (Marna Cloete)、Renergen公司首席执行官斯特凡诺·马拉尼 (Stefano Marani)；以及后排 (从左至右)﹕ Renergen公司首席运营官尼克·米切尔 (Nick Mitchell)、艾芬豪矿业首席财务官大卫·范·希尔登 (David van Heerden)。
弗吉尼亚项目的天然气形成，可以追溯到大约20亿年前一场异常的宇宙事件，当时一颗已知最大型的小行星撞击地球，落在南非弗里德堡 (Vredefort) 镇附近的威特沃特斯兰德杂岩体。
这颗巨大星体的撞击形成了地球上面积最大的陨石坑 — 弗里德堡 (Vredefort) 陨石坑，其直径约330公里。撞击形成了盖层，将地下蕴藏着巨量的铀和钍矿物圈闭。这些放射性元素在衰变的过程中释放出α粒子形成氦气。
小行星的撞击也造成了早期细菌聚集的理想条件，就像植物中的叶绿素从阳光收集放射能一样，这些早期的细菌进化为收集铀的放射能，在岩石的碳代谢过程产生甲烷。α粒子不仅产生高浓度氦气，还为细菌提供了在地下深处生存所需的能量，因此这天然气储量被南非石油局列为可再生能源。
虽然弗吉尼亚天然气项目产生的甲烷并非零碳，但由于它是由细菌再生的，因此气井具备非常长的服务周期，其中大部分是几十年前钻探的，且甲烷流量没有减少的迹象。
弗吉尼亚天然气项目是全球含有最高浓度氦气的项目之一，读数高达12%。氦气的需求甚高，应用广泛，包括先进的火箭和航天器、半导体、光纤电缆、电脑精片、焊接技术、工业泄漏检测、低温技术、核能电厂、实验室设备以及磁共振成像仪器。
Renergen弗吉尼亚天然气项目的I期压缩天然气和氦气生产设施的鸟瞰图，预计于2022年5月投产。
Renergen弗吉尼亚天然气项目距离普拉特瑞夫项目西南约600公里处
地质图显示弗里德堡陨石坑边缘的 Renergen 生产和勘查权范围 (红圈)。
详细信息，请参阅Renergen公司网站﹕https://www.renergen.co.za/
普拉特瑞夫取得水源和电力供应支持后续扩展，将成为全球规模最大、最环保的铂族金属镍铜矿山
艾芬豪近日公布，普拉特瑞夫矿山已签署新协议，将获得当地经处理后的中水，以供应普拉特瑞夫分期开发所需的生产用水。
根据新包销协议的条款，Mogalakwena当地政府同意，自项目投产后的32年间由波特希特斯的 Masodi 废水处理厂每天供应不少于300万公升且不多于1,000万公升经处理的中水。Masodi 废水处理厂的施工正在进行中。
弗里兰德先生说﹕“普拉特瑞夫项目拥有出色的近地表勘查潜力，可大幅提高项目的富镍矿产资源量。我们需要首先获得长期的电力和水源供应，才能全面实现普拉特瑞夫非凡矿产资源的价值。”
关于艾芬豪矿业
艾芬豪矿业是一家加拿大的矿业公司，正在推进旗下位于南部非洲的三大主要项目：位于刚果民主共和国的卡莫阿-卡库拉 (Kamoa-Kakula) 铜矿和位于南非的普拉特瑞夫钯-铑-铂-镍-铜-金矿的大型机械化地下矿山开发工程；以及同样位于刚果民主共和国、久负盛名的基普什 (Kipushi) 锌-铜-锗-银矿的大型重建和改善工程。
卡莫阿-卡库拉铜矿项目于2021年5月实现铜精矿生产，未来将分阶段进行扩建，预计将会成为全球最大规模的铜生产商之一。卡莫阿-卡库拉使用清洁、可再生的水电，并将成为世界上每单位金属温室气体排放量最低的矿山之一。艾芬豪矿业已作出承诺，卡莫阿-卡库拉铜矿将致力实现净零运营温室气体排放 (范围一和二)。同时，艾芬豪正在刚果民主共和国境内、毗邻卡莫阿-卡库拉项目的西部前沿 (Western Foreland) 探矿权内寻找新的铜矿资源。
联系方式
投资者﹕比尔·特伦曼 (Bill Trenaman)，电话﹕+1.604.331.9834 / 媒体﹕马修·基维尔 (Matthew Keevil)，电话﹕ +1.604.558.1034
前瞻性信息的警戒性声明
本新闻稿载有的某些陈述可能构成适用证券法所订议的“前瞻性陈述”或“前瞻性信息”。这些陈述及信息涉及已知和未知的风险、不明朗因素和其他因素，可能导致本公司的实际业绩、表现或成就、普拉特瑞夫项目或行业的业绩，与前瞻性陈述或信息所表达或暗示的任何未来业绩、表现或成就产生重大差异。这些陈述可通过文中使用“可能”、“将会”、“会”、“将要”、“打算”、“预期”、“相信”、“计划”、“预计”、“估计”、 “安排” 、“预测”、“预言”及其他类似用语，或者声明“可能”、“会”、“将会”、“可能会”或“将要”采取、发生或实现某些行动、事件或结果进行识别。这些陈述仅反映本公司于本新闻稿发布当日对于未来事件、表现和业绩的当前预期。
本新闻稿所载的前瞻性陈述及前瞻性信息包括但不限于﹕(i) 关于普拉特瑞夫I期将于2024年第三季度投产的陈述；(ii) 关于计划在毗邻的太阳能发电厂产生初始5 MW电力的陈述；(iii) 关于太阳能发电厂将于下月动工，预计于2023年初投产的陈述；以及 (iv) 关于普拉特瑞夫I期的装机容量电力需求约8 MW，于II期全面投产后的电力需求约100 MW的陈述。
所有该等前瞻性信息和陈述乃基于艾芬豪矿业管理层就他们的经验和对于过往趋势、目前条件和预期未来发展的看法，以及管理层在此情况下认为恰当的其他因素而作出的某些假设和分析。然而，这些陈述涉及不同风险和不明朗因素以及其他因素，可能导致实际事件或业绩与前瞻性信息或陈述所预测的有重大差异，包括但不限于有关部门实施的法例、法规或规章或其无法预计的修订、合约各方未能根据协议履行合约、社会或劳资纠纷、商品价格的变动、基础设施出现无法预计的故障或设施不足、工业事故或机械故障(包括竖井凿井设备)、或延迟开发基础设施；以及勘探计划或其他研究未能达到预期结果或用作证明和支持继续研究、开发或运营的结果。可能导致实际业绩与前瞻性陈述有差异的其他重要因素包括本公司最近提交的管理层讨论与分析报告内以及公司最近提交的周年信息报告内“风险因素”部分所指的因素。读者请注意不应过度依赖前瞻性信息或陈述。用作编撰前瞻性信息和陈述的某些因素和假设，以及可能导致实际业绩产生重大差异的某些风险均载于SEDAR (www.sedar.com) 及艾芬豪矿业网站(www.ivanhoemines.com) 内的技术报告。
虽然本新闻稿载有的前瞻性陈述是基于公司管理层认为合理的假设而作出，但公司不能向投资者保证实际业绩会与前瞻性陈述的预期一致。这些前瞻性陈述仅是截至本新闻稿发布当日作出，而且受本警示声明明确限制。根据相应的证券法，公司并无义务更新或修改任何前瞻性陈述以反映本新闻稿发布当日后所发生的事件或情况。
基于公司截至2021年第四季度及年度《管理层讨论与分析》和当前年度信息表中"风险因素"部分所列的因素，公司的实际业绩可能与这些前瞻性陈述所预计的业绩产生重大差异。