Loading components of the
EBay plant's milling circuit
at Yokohama, Japan,
for shipment to Durban harbour,
South Africa.

Construction underway at the
EBay site, with the primary
liberation area in the foreground
on the right, and the secondary liberation area in the background
on the right.

The existing operation is on the
left and the new construction
areas will tie in with the
current operation.

EBay project featured on Namibian TV

The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation featured a special screening of Namdeb's Elizabeth Bay (EBay) Liberation Project near Lüderitz to showcase the country's potential to investors. The Elizabeth Bay mine is an important part of Namibia's economy as it contributes 8 % of the country's annual diamond output.

While the project will triple the mine's diamond output for the next three years and extend its life by 10 years, it will also enhance the sustainability of Lüderitz by providing continued employment to over 200 inhabitants of this small coastal town.

BATEMAN's role in the N$400M (about US$50M) upgrade of the treatment plant at the mine includes engineering, designing, procuring and constructing the crushing, screening and milling circuits. The work started in November 2002 and at the end of 2003 progress was on schedule, with the design of the plant being complete and 70 % of the civil and 30 % of the structural work having been done. Electrical installation is due to commence early in 2004 and it is estimated the plant will be completed by the end of July 2004.

The complement of construction workers at the site, more than 80 % of which are local Namibians, has now peaked at 550 workers, and an excellent safety record has been maintained, with one lost time injury being incurred during the 418 333 manhours worked to the end of 2003.

A highlight of the project thus far is the good client-contractor relationship which is in operation on the project. This project has been serving as the prototype for De Beers' innovative partnering concept which it is envisaged will become a model for future projects. The success on the EBay project is endorsing the validity of a cooperative rather than the traditional confrontational approach between client and contractor in the conduct of large projects. Details of this model were described in BATEMAN Globe No. 39, page 4.

For further information, please contact Francois Roos, BATEMAN Project Manager, on +27-11-899-2644 or email francois.roos@batemanengineering.com.

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