Selective mining played a major role in saving a mine and a community's existence as well as creating a working culture that is the model for all Kumba's mines. The successes that resulted from selective mining led to receiving Kumba's highest award (it was the Gold Medal Breakthrough project of 2003) as well as the productivity award at the National Productivity Institute award ceremony in 2004._x000D_
Kumba was established in November 2001 (previously Iscor Mining). The new company identified Mineral Resource Management (MRM) as one of its key drivers and an initiative was launched to define MRM in the Kumba way. Best MRM practices at the Kumba mines were included in the definition. Selective mining was born out of this initiative._x000D_
One of the key principles of good MRM practice was identified as: There must be a balance in the operational process'. This principle was applied with great success at Thabazimbi Iron Ore mine in the Limpopo province, South Africa._x000D_
The emphasis of this paper will be to show how value can be unlocked throughout the whole mining value chain._x000D_
In the past (up to 2001) the mine went through a number of crisis situations: planned production performances were not reached, the stripping ratio was extremely high with two new pits, the product beds were not of constant quality, slope failures were big risks, flooding could and did cut off half of the ore supply, and restructuring demoralised staff._x000D_
This paper focuses on: selective mining throughput drivers, and selective mining and its role in achieving this balance._x000D_
The results were dramatic, with huge improvements in production results, stockpiles, plant yields and product bed specifications. The mine was brought into balance and a self feeding loop was created with positive spin-offs up to this day.