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  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

River Ranch

Producer in Zimbabwe with commodity Diamond
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Mineral occurrence model information
  7. Host and associated rocks
  8. Nearby scientific data
  9. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  10. Ownership information
  11. Links to other databases
  12. Bibliographic references
  13. General comments
  14. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10023839
MRDS ID I004015
Record type Site
Current site name River Ranch

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 29.90138, -22.10679 (WGS84)
Relative position THE RIVER RANCH MINE IS LOCATED ABOUT 2 KM NORTH OF THE LIMPOPO RIVER (WHICH MARKS THE BORDER BETWEEN SOUTH AFRICA AND ZIMBABWE) AND IS ONLY 60 KM FORM DE BEERS CONSOLIDATED'S VENETIA MINE (SOUTH AFRICA'S LARGEST DIAMOND MINE).

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Zimbabwe(country)

Africa(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
Zimbabwe

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Diamond Primary

Analytical data

Result MORE THAN HALF OF THE STONES PRODUCED ARE HIGHER VALUE GEM DIAMONDS AND 40% OF THE OUTPUT IS LOWER VALUE STONES AND INDUSTRIAL DIAMONDS.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 31
USGS model code 12
Deposit model name Diamond-bearing kimberlite pipes

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Ultramafic Intrusive Rock > Peridotite > Kimberlite

Nearby scientific data

(1) 29.90138, -22.10679
ListMap

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Non-metallic
Significant No
Discovery year 1975
Discoverer De Beers Consoldiated
Year of first production 1992

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Auridiam Zimbabe Ltd. , ( A Joint Venture Of Auridiam Consolidated Nl Of Australia And Redauru
    First year 1993

Comments on the production information

  • IN 1993, THE MINE WAS PROFITABLE JUST BEING WORKED BY A PILOT PLANT.

Comments on development

  • ECON.COM: IN 1993, THE MINE WAS BEING UPGRADED TO FORM A WORLD CLASS PRODUCER. THE DIAMONDS FROM THIS MINE ARE MARKETED THROUGH ZIMBABWE'S MINERALS MARKETING BOARD (MMCZ) AND NOT DE BEERS CENTRAL SELLING ORGANISATION.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    INDUSTRIAL MINERALS, 1993, AURIDIAM DEVELOPS DIAMOND MINE, IN WORLD OF MINERALS: NO. 312, P. 23

  • Reserve-Resource

    INDUSTRIAL MINERALS, 1993.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THE TOP 40 M OF THE PIPE HAVE BEEN WEATHERED TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT NO BALSTING IS REQUIRED. DRILLING AND SAMPLING HAS PROVED THAT THE DIAMOND-BEARING ORE OF THE MAIN PIPE EXTENDS BEYOND A DEPTH OF 200 METERS. THE SURFACE AREA OF THE PIPE IS 5.2 HECTARES AND THERE IS NO APPARENT CONING OF THE DEPOSIT WITH DEPTH.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-JAN-1994 Orris, Greta J. U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

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