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Vaal Reefs

Producer in Free State, South Africa with commodities Gold, Uranium, Sulfur, Sulfuric Acid, PGE, Platinum, Osmium, Iridium, Ruthenium, Rhodium, Silver, Sulfur-Pyrite
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Alteration
  8. Mineral occurrence model information
  9. Host and associated rocks
  10. Nearby scientific data
  11. Geologic structures
  12. Ore body information
  13. Controls for ore emplacement
  14. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  15. Mining district
  16. Ownership information
  17. Production statistics
  18. Reserves and resources
  19. Workings at the site
  20. Links to other databases
  21. Bibliographic references
  22. General comments
  23. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10071448
MRDS ID W014845
Record type Site
Current site name Vaal Reefs
Alternate or previous names Vaal Reefs Exploration and Mining Company Limited
Related records 10232040

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 26.75147, -26.91326 (WGS84)
Elevation 1295
Relative position IN VICINITY OF THE TOWN OF ORKNEY

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Free State(province)

South Africa(country)

Africa(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
South Africa Free State

Comments on the location information

  • KLERKSDORP = VAAL REEFS NORTH AND WESTERN REEFS SECTIONS; VILJOENSKROON = VAAL REEFS SOUTH SECTION.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Uranium Tertiary
Sulfur, Sulfuric Acid Secondary
PGE Critical Secondary
Platinum Critical Secondary
Osmium Secondary
Iridium Critical Secondary
Ruthenium Critical Secondary
Rhodium Critical Secondary
Silver Secondary
Sulfur-Pyrite Secondary

Comments on the commodity information

  • SMALL QUANTITIES PT AND AG RECOVERED BUT UNIMPORTANT IN SOUTH AFRICA TERMS. PT IS AN IMPURITY IN GOLD AND IS RECOVERED AT THE RAND REFINERY AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE PURIFICATION PROCESS.

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Gold Ore
Pyrrhotite Ore
Sperrylite Ore

Alteration

  • (Local) None

Analytical data

Result COMPOSITION OF PLATINOIDS: IR = 38.5%, OS = 44.3%, RU = 12.3%, PT = 7.1%, RH = 0.8%. AU/PT RECOVERY = 8520:1.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 193
USGS model code 29a
Deposit model name Quartz pebble conglomerate Au-U (BC name is Paleoplacer U-Au-PGE-Sn-Ti

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic)
    Rock unit name Ventersdorp System-Lava
    Rock description Ventersdorp System-Lava
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Metasedimentary Rock > Quartzite
    Rock unit name Transvaal System-Campbell Rand Dolomite;Witwatersrand System (Upper Division)-Quartzites, Shales, Grits And Conglomerates
    Rock description Transvaal System-Campbell Rand Dolomite;Witwatersrand System (Upper Division)-Quartzites, Shales, Grits And Conglomerates
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Shale
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Conglomerate

Nearby scientific data

(1) 26.75147, -26.91326
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Unique Continuity Of Gold - Bearing Horizons Over Extended Area, Though Well Marked By Folding, Faulting And (Locally) Erosion And Redeposition Of Overlying Conformable Sediments
Type of structure Local
Structure description Uniformly - Gentle Dip, But With Local Folds And Faults. Overlying Lavas And Dolomites Are Massive.

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR/BLANKET
    Strike E-W
    Dip 20 DEG. S.
    Thickness 0.1M
    Depth to bottom 2150M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Gentle Uplift Of Continental Mass; Erosion; Peneplanation; Folding; Faulting; Volcanicity; Dike Injection And Build - Up Of Younger Sediments

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Both
Deposit size Large
Significant No
Discovery year 1887
Year of first production 1941

Mining district

District name Klerksdorp Area Of Witwatersrand Goldfields

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Ownership Distribution:
  • Type Owner
    Owner Anglo American Corp. Of South Africa, Ltd.
    Interest 71.71
  • Type Owner
    Owner West Rand Inves. Trust Ltd.
    Interest 18.09
  • Type Owner
    Owner Selection Trust Ltd.
    Interest 10.2
  • Type Operator
    Owner Vaal Reefs Exploration And Mining Co. Ltd.

Production statistics

  • Year 1976
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.323 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 9g/mt
  • Year 1977
    Material ORE
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.264 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 7g/mt
  • Year 1977
    Material ORE
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.212 Kg/Met Ton Treated
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace U3O8 Ore Uranium Uranium 212g/mt
  • Year 1978
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.266 Toz Au/Mt Ore Milled (North And South Lease Area) 0.014 Toz Au/Mt Ore Milled (Afrikander Lease Area)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Gold Gold 8g/mt
  • Year 1979
    Material U
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.220 Kg. U3o8/Met Ton Ore Treated
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace U3O8 Uranium Uranium 220g/mt
  • Year 1980
    Material U
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.272 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Gold Gold 8g/mt
  • Year 1980
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.199 Kg U308/Met Ton Ore Treated
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace U3O8 Uranium Uranium 199g/mt
  • Year 1981
    Material U
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.213 Kg U3o8/Met Ton Ore Treated
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace U3O8 Uranium Uranium 213g/mt
  • Year 1982
    Material ORE U
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.238 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Ore Gold Gold 7g/mt
  • Year 1982
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.220 Kg U308/Met Ton Ore Treated
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace U3O8 Ore Uranium Uranium 220g/mt
  • Year 1983
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.277 Toz Au/Met Tons Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 277g/mt
  • Year 1986
    Period 1986
    Material ORE
    Description Cp_Grade: ^Jeppestown 0.123 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 123g/mt
  • Year 1986
    Period 1986
    Material ORE
    Description Cp_Grade: ^Af. Lease 0.109 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 109g/mt
  • Year 1986
    Period 1986
    Material ORE
    Description Cp_Grade: ^No 5 Reef 0.111 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 111g/mt
  • Year 1986
    Period 1986
    Material ORE
    Description Cp_Grade: ^Vcr & Elsburg Reef 0.150 Toz Au, 0.07 Kg. U308/M. T. Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace U3O8 Ore Uranium Uranium 70g/mt
    Ore Gold Gold 150g/mt
  • Year 1986
    Period 1986
    Material ORE
    Description Cp_Grade: ^0.111 To2 Au/Met Ton And 0.07 Kg U308/Met Ton Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace U3O8 Ore Uranium Uranium 70g/mt
    Ore Gold Gold 111g/mt
  • Year 1986
    Period 1986
    Material ORE
    Description Cp_Grade: ^Vaal & C Reef 0.405 Toz Au, 0.43 Kg. U308/Met Ton Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace U3O8 Ore Uranium Uranium 430g/mt
    Ore Gold Gold 405g/mt

Comments on the production information

  • CUMUL PROD FOR GOLD + GOLD ORE DOES NOT INCLUDE 157 MET TONS ORE + 2,240 TOZ GOLD FROM AFRIKANDER LEASE AREA, BUT DOES INCLUDE UNSPECIFIED PRODUCTION OF URANIUM + URANIUM ORE FROM THE SAME SOURCE ; THIS PRODUCTION COVERS THE NORTH AND SOUTH LEASE AREAS ONLY AND DOES NOT INCLUDE PRODUCTION FROM THE AFRIKANDER LEASE AREA. ; ANNUAL PRODUCTION INCLUDES 0157.000 MET TONS FROM AFRIKANDER LEASE AREA ; ORE AU FIGURE INCLUDES 21,000 MET TONS FROM AFRIKANDER LEASE AREA. AU FIGURE INCLUDES 170 TOZ FROM AFRIKANDER LEASE ORE U INCLUDES PRODUCTION FROM AFRIKANDER LEASE (QUANTITY UNKNOWN). U FIGURE ALSO INCLUDES UNKNOWN QUANTITY FROM AFRIKANDER LEASE. ; PRODUCTION COVERS ONLY, NORTH AND SOUTH LEASE ARES AND DOES NOT INCLUDE PRODUCTION FROM AFRIKANDER LEASE AREA.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1986
    Total resources 36799000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 3.452 g/mt Gold Major 1986
    Uranium U3O8 7e-05 wt-pct Uranium Trace 1986

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA ; RESERVES FIGURE DOES NOT INCLUDE RESERVES IN THE AFRIKANDER LEASE AREA ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1984 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1985 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS-1986

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 2150M

Comments on the workings information

  • DEPTH = CURRENT MAXIMUM SHAFT DEPTH. TOTAL REEF DEPTH NOT KNOWN.

Comments on development

  • EXPAN$: 33.4 (1975) ; MILL.CAP: 7.2 MIL. MET. T/YR. 1976 ; ECON.COM: CURRENTLY LARGEST GOLD/URANIUM PRODUCER IN THE WORLD. ORE RECOVERIES ARE FROM THREE HORIZONS (REEFS): VAAL REEF, VENTERSDORP CONTACT REEF, AND ELSBURG REEF. MODERATE MINING COSTS ($84.20/PER TROY OUNCE OF GOLD RECOVERED)

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    ANGLO AMERICAN CORPORATION OF SOUTH AFRICA LIMITED; ANNUAL REPORTS: 1974 & 1975

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL QUARTERLY REVIEW OF SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD SHARES; VOLUME 19, NO. 1: MAY 1975

  • Deposit

    SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD SHARES; IVOR JONES, ROY AND CO., INC., JOHANNESBURG; 1975

  • Deposit

    MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH - CENTRAL AFRICA; PELLETIER, R. A.; 1964

  • Deposit

    MERTIE, 1969, ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF PLATINUM METALS: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 630, P. 45-48.

  • Deposit

    COUSINS, 1973, PLATINOIDS OF THE WITWATERSRAND SYSTEM: JOURNAL OF SOUTH AFRICA INSTITUTE OF MINING AND METALLURGY, V. 73, NO. 6, P. 3-5.

  • Deposit

    WAGNER, 1929, PLATINUM DEPOSITS AND MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA: STRUIK (PTY) LTD., CAPETOWN 1973, P. 32-40.

  • Deposit

    FEATHER, 1976, MINERALOGY OF THE PLATINUM-GROUP MINERALS IN THE WITWATERSRAND: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, V. 71, NO. 7, P. 1419.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, 1977, V. 288.

  • Deposit

    COAL, GOLD, AND BASE MINERALS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA, 1973, MARCH 1973.

  • Deposit

    SOUTH AFRICAN MINING AND ENGINEERING JOURNAL, 1975, SEPTEMBER 1975.

  • Production

    CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1983 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1984 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1985 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS-1986 ; ANALYSES OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA - 1980 ; CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA - ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1981 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS-1982 ; ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA, JANUARY - DECEMBER 1978 ; ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA. JANUARY - DECEMBER 1979 ; ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA, JANUARY-DECEMBER 1977

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THIS RECORD INCLUDES DATA FROM DUPLICATE RECORD M046306 WHICH HAS BEEN DELETED FROM MRDS.
Deposit INFORMATION MERGED FROM RECORD NUMBER W028241 ; W028681 ; W028717 ; W030943 ; W032346 ; W032955 ; W033165 ; W033791 ; W044614 ; W055293
Deposit 1/MAX THICKNESS = ORE HORIZON (REEF) ONLY. 2/ DEPTH TO BOTTOM = CURRENT MAX SHAFT DEPTH. TOTAL REEF DEPTH NOT KNOWN.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-FEB-1977 Sweetwood, Charles W. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1987 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-OCT-1978 Sweetwood, Charles W. Department of State
Updater 01-APR-1980 Sweetwood, Charles W. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1981 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State
Updater 01-AUG-1982 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1984 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1983 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State
Updater 01-JUN-1985 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-APR-1986 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-JUN-1987 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State

Beyond USGS

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

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