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In the operational update for its financial year ended June 30, the miner said the 10-MegaWatt facility, which will take 12 months to construct, will reduce its carbon footprint and provide up to 30% of the complex's power needs, thus reducing reliance on the national grid.
The approval comes after consultant Arup finalised a positive bankable feasibility study at Elikhulu. The company anticipates it will have a minimum life span of 20 years and produce power cheaper than public utility company Eskom.
Pan African has already awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the photovoltaic project to an an independent contractor.
The company is currently raising dedicated funding for the project while it inks the required contractual agreements.
The Elikhulu operation is the company's third gold retreatment plant. It was commissioned in September 2018 and processes about 1.2 million tonnes of historic tailings monthly.
