The Opencast Mining Advantage

At Garrison Capital we solely acquire and operate opencast mining operations. Surface mining delivers robust advantages across cost, safety, and execution.

Cost Economics

At a glance

    • Opencast: R45-75 per ton

    • Underground: R120-180 per ton

    • Advantage: 40-60% lower

    • Opencast: R200-400M (15-year reserve base)

    • Underground: R800M-R1.5B (comparable reserves)

    • Opencast operations: 30% lower per ton produced

Operational Simplicity

A large yellow excavator working in a multi-layered open-pit mining site with distinct terraced layers of earth in various colors.

Equipment Standardization

Opencast operations utilize commodity equipment available from multiple manufacturers with established service networks. Parts availability, maintenance simplicity, and equipment fungibility reduce operational risk and capital requirements.

A large white marble quarry with a small yellow excavator at the bottom center, surrounded by stone rubble.

Reserve Certainty

Surface operations provide direct visual inspection of ore bodies and immediate detection of geological variations. Reserve estimates carry 5-10% confidence intervals compared to 15-25% for underground operations.

Two large yellow construction vehicles working on dirt and rock at a quarry or excavation site with visible layers of earth.

Safety Performance

South African mining data (2015-2024) shows fatal injury frequency rates of 0.02 per million hours worked for opencast operations versus 0.13 for underground—a 6.5x difference that translates to lower insurance costs and reduced regulatory risk.

Talent Accessibility

180,000 employed in opencast operations versus 95,000 underground. 3-6 months to operational proficiency versus 12-24 months

Average loaded costs: R18,000-25,000 monthly versus R28,000-38,000

Dirt and gravel road with tire tracks, along a rocky embankment.

“we Blast, dig, haul, crush & screen. its simple, but it works.

— Production Manager,

Schweizer Diamond Mine