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West Rand Consolidated Mine

Producer in South Africa with commodities Gold, Uranium, PGE, Platinum, Osmium, Iridium, Ruthenium, Rhodium, Silver, Sulfur-Pyrite, Sulfur, Sulfuric Acid
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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. Land status
  17. Ownership information
  18. Production statistics
  19. Reserves and resources
  20. Workings at the site
  21. Links to other databases
  22. Bibliographic references
  23. General comments
  24. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10078495
MRDS ID W026843
Record type Site
Current site name West Rand Consolidated Mine
Related records 10256350

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 27.76812, -26.12994 (WGS84)
Elevation 1676
Relative position 6 KILOMETERS SOUTHWEST OF THE TOWN OF KRUGERSDORP

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

South Africa(country)

Africa(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
South Africa

Comments on the location information

  • AREA INCLUDES: MAJORODAM MOUNTAINS; BROWN MOUNTAINS; WITIWAII MOUNTAINS; NASSAU MOUNTAINS; LELY MOUNTAINS; AND BONDERBARI MOUNTAINS

Commodities

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

Comments on the commodity information

  • FIRST PRODUCER OF URANIUM OXIDE IN SOUTH AFRICA ( 1952 ) (GOLD OUTPUT INITIATED IN 1908 ). AT TIMES, URANIUM HAS BEEN PRINCIPAL COMMODITY WITH GOLD AS BYPRODUCT ONLY. HIGHEST URANIUM VALUES IN BIRD REEF, BUT HISTORICALLY FIVE REEFS HAVE BEEN MINED (KIMBERLEY, BIRD, LIVINGSTONE, SOUTH AND MAIN REEFS). IN BIRD REEF, URANIUM OCCURS ABOVE, WITHIN, AND GRADATIONALLY BELOW GOLD HORIZON. URANIUM RECOVERIES TERMINATED LATE IN 1974 ; REACTIVATED IN 1976 . 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.
  • IN VIEW OF THEIR HIGH AL CONTENT AND TI CONTENT (NOT GIVEN), SMALL EXTENT OF EXPLORATION, AND UNFAVORABLE GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION, DEPOSITS ARE CLASSIFIED AS POTENTIAL RESOURCES.

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Galena Ore
Gold Ore
Pyrrhotite Ore
Sphalerite Ore

Alteration

  • (Local) None

Analytical data

Result COMPOSITION OF PLATINOIDS: 39.4%, OS = 37.6%, RU = 14.3%, PT = 8.0%, RH = 0.7%. AU/PT RECOVERY = 2200:1.

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--Dolomite;Witwatersrand System (Upper Division)-Quartzite, Shales, Grits And Conglomerates
    Rock description Transvaal System--Dolomite;Witwatersrand System (Upper Division)-Quartzite, 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) 27.76812, -26.12994
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 Dips Vary From Gentle To Nearly Vertical In Mine Area. Folding And Faulting From Moderate To Severe. Overlying Lavas And Dolomites Are Thin To Massive. Both Minable Reefs Outcrop On Mine Property In Upthrow Fault Blocks, But Bulk Of Ore Occurs At Depths In Excess Of 200 Meters.

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR/BLANKET
    Strike NE - SE
    Dip 32 DEG. NE
    Thickness 1.1M
    Depth to bottom 1590M

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
Year of first production 1908

Mining district

District name West Rand Area Of The Witwatersrand Goldfields

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner West Rand Consolidated Mines Ltd.
  • Type Owner
    Owner General Mining And Finance Corp., Ltd.

Production statistics

  • Year 1976
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.093 Tr. Oz. Au/Met. Ton Of Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1977
    Material U
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.043 Toz Au/Met Tons Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1977
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.301 Kg U3o8/Met Ton Treated
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Uranium Uranium 301g/mt
  • Year 1978
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.314 Kg. U3o8/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Uranium Uranium 314g/mt
  • Year 1978
    Material ORE U
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.088 Toz Au/Mt Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1980
    Period 1980
    Material ORE U
    Description Cp_Grade: ^1.132 Kg U3o8/Met Ton Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Uranium Uranium 1132g/mt
  • Year 1980
    Material U
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.154 Toz Au/Met Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1980
    Material ORE U
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.374 Kg U308/Met Ton Ore Treated
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Uranium Uranium 374g/mt
  • Year 1981
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^.068 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 1g/mt
  • Year 1981
    Material ORE U
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.032 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1981
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.066 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1986
    Period 1986
    Material ORE
    Description Cp_Grade: ^0.217 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1986
    Period 1986
    Material ORE
    Description Cp_Grade: ^0.217 To2 Au/Met Ton Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt

Comments on the production information

  • URANIUM RECOVERIES WERE STOPPED AT THIS MINE LATE IN 1974, BUT REACTIVATED IN 1976 FOLLOWING IMPROVED MARKET CONDITIONS. ; URANIUM PRODUCTION CEASED IN AUGUST 1981. ; DURING 1983, WEST RAND CONS. REDUCED UNDERGROUND PRODUCTION, BUT MAINTAINED MILL THROUGHPUT BY SUPPLEMENTING PRODUCTION WITH 815,300 TONS FROM SURFACE DUMPS.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1986
    Total resources 529000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 6.749 g/mt Gold Major 1986
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1980
    Total resources 46000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Uranium U3O8 0.0011 wt-pct Uranium Major 1980

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • WEST RAND CONS. ANNUAL REPORT-1983 AND CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS-1983
  • CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1984 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1985 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS-1986
  • ORE IN INDIVIDUAL AREAS IN THE LAKE BROKOPONDO DISTRICT BREAKS DOWN AS FOLLOWS (IN MILLIONS OF METRIC TONS) - MAJORODAM MTS., 200 ; BROWN MTS., 200 ; WITIWAII MTS., 100 ; NASSAU MTS., 300 ; LELY MTS., 400 ; BONDERBARI MTS., 20.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 1020000M
    Overall depth 1590M

Comments on the workings information

  • MINING METHOD: UP-DIP STOPPING AND SLUSHER REMOVAL OF BROKEN ORE PRACTICED IN ALL GENTLE-DIPPING AREAS OF THE MINE. IN STEEPLY INCLINED AREAS, A LOADED STULL AND SHORT BENCH, OVERHAND FACE, METHOD IS USED. EST. MINE LIFE: 10 YEARS.

Comments on development

  • EXPAN$: 0.9 ( 1975 ) ; MILL.CAP: 2.6 MIL. MET. T/YR ; ECON.YEAR: 1974 ; ECON.COM: A MEDIUM GRADE GOLD AND RELATIVELY HIGH GRADE URANIUM PRODUCER WITH EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH COSTS AT $229.46 /TR. OZ. OF GOLD RECOVERED ( 1976 ). PROFITS DEPEND NOTABLY ON URANIUM RETURNS, BUT COSTS COULD BE LOWERED IF GOLD, ONLY, WERE TO BE RECOVERED IN FUTURE.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    GENERAL MINING AND FINANCE CORPORATION, ANNUAL REPORT; 1975

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    COUSINS, 1973, PLATINOIDS IN THE WITWATERSRAND SYSTEM: JOURNAL SOUTH AFRICA INSTITUTE 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

    MINING JOURNAL, 1977, V. 288.

  • Deposit

    SOUTH AFRICAN MINING AND ENGINEERING JOURNAL, 1973, SOUTH AFRICAN MINING AND ENGINEERING JOURNAL, AUGUST 1973.

  • Production

    CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA ; CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA - ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1981 ; WEST RAND CONS. ANNUAL REPORT-1983 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS - 1984 ; WEST RAND CONS. MINE ANNUAL REPORT - 1985 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS-1986 ; ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA JANUARY - DECEMBER 1979 ; ANALYSES OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA - 1980 ; 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 1977

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit First Production Year: AU: 1908 / U: 1952
Deposit MAX THICKNESS REFERS TO APPROX. STOPPING THICKNESS OF EACH OF FIVE MINABLE REEFS. GOLD-BEARING HORIZON WITHIN EACH REEF AVERAGES 0.10 - 0.20 METER IN THICKNESS. DEPTH TO BOTTOM REFERS TO DEPTH OF DEEPEST SHAFT (DEEP SHAFT). DIP REFERS TO MAXIMUM APPARENT DIP, THOUGH DIPS BETWEEN 15 - 20 DEGREES IN UPTHROW FAULT BLOCKS ARE COMMON.
Deposit THIS RECORD INCLUDES DATA FROM DUPLICATE RECORD M046315 WHICH HAS BEEN DELETED FROM MRDS.
Deposit INFORMATION MERGED FROM RECORD NUMBER W028242 ; W028705 ; W028736 ; W030949 ; W032349 ; W032924 ; W033797 ; W044612 ; W055298

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-MAR-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-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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