Characteristics
A narrow-vein gold mine containing gold, silver and copper mineralisation in sulphides. Mineralisation of Bulyanhulu is associated with steeply-dipping reefs. A number of distinct reefs have been identified including Reef Zero, Reef One and Reef Two.
Life and reserves
Bulyanhulu’s life-of-mine is currently estimated to be more than 25+ years, based on its proven and probable gold reserves of 10,632,000 ounces.
Location
The mine is in northwest Tanzania, in the Kahama district of the Shinyanga region, approximately 55 km south of Lake Victoria and 150 km southwest of the city of Mwanza, a regional business and economic hub.
Capacity
The Bulyanhulu process plant has the capacity to process an average of 3,300 tonnes of ore per day, (or c. 1.1 million tonnes per year). It operates around the clock, 365 days a year.
Access
Good, with a private airport and local unpaved roads connecting to the main highway close to Kahama.
Climate
The average annual temperatures range from 15°-35°C. Average annual rainfall in the region is 953mm.
The site
The mine consists of an underground mine, a process plant, waste rock dumps, tailings containment, water management ponds and associated facilities. The mine is an underground trackless operation using long-hole as its principal stoping method, with alimak, drift and fill and conventional cut and fill the other primary mining methods.
People
As at 31 December 2011, a total of 2,853 people were employed at Bulyanhulu, consisting of 2,448 Group employees and 405 contracted personnel.