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West Driefontein

Producer in South Africa with commodities Gold, Uranium, Sulfur-Pyrite, Sulfur, Sulfuric Acid, PGE, Silver
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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. Host and associated rocks
  9. Nearby scientific data
  10. Geologic structures
  11. Ore body information
  12. Controls for ore emplacement
  13. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  14. Mining district
  15. Land status
  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 10079054
MRDS ID W027871
Record type Site
Current site name West Driefontein

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 27.43479, -26.37993 (WGS84)
Elevation 1600
Relative position ADJOINS THE CITY OF CARLETONVILLE (SOUTHEAST OF CITY CENTER)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

South Africa(country)

Africa(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
South Africa

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Uranium Secondary
Sulfur-Pyrite Secondary
Sulfur, Sulfuric Acid Secondary
PGE Critical Secondary
Silver Secondary

Comments on the commodity information

  • SOUTH AFRICA'S HIGHEST GRADE GOLD PRODUCER (THOUGH OCCASIONALLY MATCHED ANNUALLY BY EAST DRIEFONTEIN MINE). FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO AS THE RICHEST GOLD MINE IN THE WORLD. URANIUM CONTENT, IN CARBON LEADER REEF ONLY, IS LOW GRADE. 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

Alteration

  • (Local) None

Analytical data

Result SEE PRODUCTION ENTRIES

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 Shales (Pretoria Series), Dolomite (Dolomite Series) And Conglomerates (Black Reef Series);Witwatersrand System (Upper Division)-Quartzites, Shales, Grits, Conglomerates And Carbon Granules
    Rock description Transvaal System Shales (Pretoria Series), Dolomite (Dolomite Series) And Conglomerates (Black Reef Series);Witwatersrand System (Upper Division)-Quartzites, Shales, Grits, Conglomerates And Carbon Granules
  • 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) 27.43479, -26.37993
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Unique Continuity Of Gold-Bearing Horizons Over Extended Area, Though Well Marked By Dikes, Faulting, Early Erosion And Redeposition Of Overlying Sediments. The Ventersdorp Contact Reef Unconformably Overlies The Carbon Leader Reef.
Type of structure Local
Structure description Gentle Dip With Faulting Locally, And Minor Folding. Intrusive Dikes Penetrate And Dilute Minable Ore Horizons. Overlying Lavas And Dolomites Are Massive.

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR/BLANKET
    Strike E - W
    Dip 22 DEG. S
    Thickness 0.3M
    Depth to top 1000M
    Depth to bottom 2400M

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 1932
Discoverer Dr. R. Krahmann, West Witwatersrand Areas Ltd.
Year of first production 1952

Mining district

District name Far West Rand (West Wits Line) Of Witwatersrand Goldfields

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner West Driefontein. Gold Mining Co. Ltd.
  • Type Owner
    Owner Gold Fields Of South Africa Ltd.

Production statistics

  • Year 1977
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.746 Toz Au /Met Ton Of Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 1g/mt
  • Year 1978
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.439 Toz Au/Mt Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1979
    Material U
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.250 Kg U3o8/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace U3O8 Ore Uranium Uranium 250g/mt
  • Year 1980
    Material ORE U
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.185 Kg U308/Met Ton Ore Treated
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace U3O8 Ore Uranium Uranium 185g/mt
  • Year 1981
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.441 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1982
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.178 Kg U308/Net Ton Ore Treated
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace U3O8 Ore Uranium Uranium 178g/mt
  • Year 1982
    Material ORE U
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.636 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 1g/mt
  • Year 1983
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.430 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1983
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.117 Kg U308/Met Ton Ore Treated
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace U3O8 Ore Uranium Uranium 117g/mt
  • Year 1985
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.092 Kg U3o8/Met Ton Ore Treated
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace U3O8 Ore Uranium Uranium 92g/mt

Comments on the production information

  • PYRITE AND SULFURIC ACID OUTPUT NOT AVAILABLE

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Name CARBON LEADER
    Estimate year 1986
    Total resources 1513000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 24.291 g/mt Gold Major 1986

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA - 1986 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1984 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 2400M

Comments on the workings information

  • APPROX. MAXIMUM MINING DEPTH DOWN-DIP ON CARBON LEADER REEF. THE CARBON LEADER IS LOWERMOST OF THE THREE PAY HORIZONS. THE MAIN REEF OCCURS ABOUT 90 METERS ABOVE CARBON LEADER AND THE VENTERSDORP CONTACT REEF IS OVER 700 METERS ABOVE CARBON LEADER.

Comments on development

  • MILL.CAP: 3.0 MIL. MET. T/YR. ; ECON.YEAR: 1960 ; ECON.COM: A MODERN AND SOPHISTICATED MINING OPERATION WITH LOW OPERATING COSTS ($42.99 /TROY OUNCE OF GOLD RECOVERED; 1977 ). MINE OPERATES FROM THREE HORIZONS (REEFS): CARBON LEADER, VENTERSDORP CONTACT REEF AND MAIN REEF.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    MINERALS RESOURCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, FIFTH EDITION, HANDBOOK 7 ; 1976

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    GOLD FIELDS OF SOUTH AFRICA LIMITED, ANNUAL REPORTS 1974 - 1977

  • Deposit

    WEST DRIEFONTEIN, 1977, ANNUAL REPORTS.

  • Deposit

    WEST DRIEFONTEIN, 1976, ANNUAL REPORTS.

  • Deposit

    WEST DRIEFONTEIN, 1975, ANNUAL REPORTS.

  • Deposit

    IVOR JONES, ROY & COMPANY, INC., 1975, SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD SHARES: JOHANNESBURG, IVOR JONES, ROY & COMPANY, INC.*655 WESTERN AREAS GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED, 1976, ANNUAL REPORTS.

  • Deposit

    WESTERN AREAS GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED, 1975, ANNUAL REPORTS.

  • Deposit

    WESTERN AREAS GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED, 1974, ANNUAL REPORTS.

  • Deposit

    WESTERN AREAS GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED,1973, ANNUAL REPORTS.

  • Deposit

    COAL, GOLD AND BASE MINERALS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA, 1974, MAY.

  • Production

    CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS-1986 ; CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA, ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1981 ; 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-1982 ; 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

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit MAX THICKNESS REFERS TO CARBON LEADER REEF ONLY. ADDITIONALLY, THE VENTERSDORP CONTACT REEF VARIES IN THICKNESS UP TO 3.0 METERS AND THE MAIN REEF RANGES BETWEEN 0.3 - 1.5 METERS. DEPTH TO TOP IS UPDIP SUB-CONTACT OF CARBON LEADER REEF NORTH OF NO. 2 SHAFT. DEPTH TO BOTTOM IS APPROX. MAXIMUM MINING DEPTH (CARBON LEADER REEF) DOWN-DIP (SOUTH OF 5A SUB-VERTICAL SHAFT).
Deposit INFORMATION MERGED FROM RECORD NUMBER W003071 ; W028699 ; W028713 ; W030948 ; W032316 ; W032942 ; W044634 ; W044651 ; W055267

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-FEB-1978 Sweetwood, Charles W. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1987 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1983 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State
Updater 01-MAY-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-JUN-1984 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State
Updater 01-MAR-1986 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-JUN-1985 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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