1. Mineral Resources
  2. Online Spatial Data
  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

Montrose Hendriksplaats Chrome Mine

Producer in South Africa with commodities Chromium, PGE, Iron, Silica
Map
XML
JSON
KML
A
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 10079237
MRDS ID W028410
Record type Site
Current site name Montrose Hendriksplaats Chrome Mine
Related records 10158751

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 30.15141, -24.61333 (WGS84)
Elevation 907
Relative position 14 KILOMETERS NORTHWEST OF STEELPOORT

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

South Africa(country)

Africa(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
South Africa

Comments on the location information

  • WOODED UPLAND COL IN PARTIALLY DEVELOPED RURAL AREA

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Chromium Critical Primary
PGE Critical Tertiary
Iron Tertiary
Silica Tertiary

Comments on the commodity information

  • SMALL GOLD MINE IN QUARTZ STRINGERS CONTAINING MAGNETITE

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chromite Ore
Magnetite Ore
Anorthosite Gangue
Chalcopyrite Unknown
Pentlandite Unknown
Pyrrhotite Unknown

Alteration

  • (Local) Surface And Near-Surface Alteration Of Feldspathic Material Only.

Analytical data

Result METALLURG. & CHEMICAL GRADE ORE: SIZE: 100 % - 3.2 MM: CR2O3 45 - 46 %, SIO2 1 - 2.5 %, AL2O3 16 % MAX., FEO 26 % MAX., MGO 12 % MAX., CAO 0.5 % MAX.
Result CR:FE 1.5:1

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock
    Rock unit name Bushveld Igneous Complex (Including The Overlying Merensky Reef)
    Rock description Bushveld Igneous Complex (Including The Overlying Merensky Reef)
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Paleoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Paleoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Pliocene
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Ultramafic Intrusive Rock > Pyroxenite

Nearby scientific data

(1) 30.15141, -24.61333
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Inward-Dipping Cone-Like Structure; Folding And Faulting (Including Low-Angle Thrusting) Exists, But Are Of Minor Importance; Erosion, Peneplanation And Build-Up Of Younger Sediments Are Basic Criteria Regionally.
Type of structure Local
Structure description The Area'S Upper, Middle And Lower Chrome Groups (Underlying The Merensky Reef) Are Extraordinarily Uniform As To Composition And Thickness. Faults And Folds, Locally, Are Of Minor Importance Only. Seam Undulations, However, Are Common And Thus Present Localized (Albeit Moderate) Changes In The Dip.

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR/BLANKET
    Strike N-S
    Dip 15 DEG W
    Thickness 1.2M
    Depth to top 300M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • The Various Components Of The Bushveld Igneous Complex Have Been Emplaced In Successive Eruptions As Sheet-Like Masses Into The Pretoria Series Volcanics (Transvaal System), And In Some Cases Into One Another, Dipping Inward Toward The Center Giving A Cone-Like Structure To The Complex As A Whole.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant No

Mining district

District name Eastern (Steelpoort-Mooihoek) Belt; Bushveld Igneous Complex

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Montrose Exploration Co. Ltd.
  • Type Owner
    Owner General Mining And Finance Corp. Ltd.

Production statistics

  • Year 1978
    Material ORE CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^41 % Cr2o3 (Approximately)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Cr2O3 Chromium Chromium 41wt-pct
  • Year 1978
    Material CON CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^46 % Cr2o3 (Approximately)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Cr2O3 Conc. Chromium Chromium 46wt-pct
  • Year 1979
    Material ORE CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^41% Cr2o3 (Approximately)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Cr2O3 Chromium Chromium 41wt-pct
  • Year 1979
    Material CON CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^46% Cr2o3 (Approximately)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Cr2O3 Conc. Chromium Chromium 46wt-pct
  • Year 1980
    Material CON CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^41% Cr2o3 Approximately
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Cr2O3 Conc. Chromium Chromium 41wt-pct
  • Year 1980
    Material ORE CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^41% Cr2o3 Approximately
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Cr2O3 Chromium Chromium 41wt-pct
  • Year 1981
    Period 1974-1981
    Material CON CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Cp_Grade: ^46 % Cr2o3
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Cr2O3 Conc. Chromium Chromium 46wt-pct
  • Year 1981
    Period 1974-1981
    Material ORE CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Cp_Grade: ^41 % Cr2o3 Approx
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Cr2O3 Chromium Chromium 41wt-pct

Comments on the production information

  • MINE (AND PRODUCTION) PREDATES 1937 . ESTIMATES PRIOR TO 1974 ARE NOT POSSIBLE, HOWEVER. ; NO PRODUCTION DATA AVAILABLE FROM 1981 ; NO EXACT PRODUCTION FIGURE AVAILABLE BUT MINE OPERATED AT FULL CAPACITY FOR BOTH 1985 AND 1986.
  • PROBABLY SMALL AMOUNT OF NATIVE GOLD PRODUCED IN 1850'S. MINOR AMOUNTS STILL BEING PRODUCED BY TOURISTS.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1975
    Total resources 49000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Chromium Cr2O3 44 wt-pct Chromium Major 1975

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • INDICATED RESERVES TO A VERTICAL DEPTH OF 300 METERS.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 300M

Comments on the workings information

  • SEE DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSIT COMMENTS. MINING IS BY DEVELOPMENT DRIFTS AND INCLINES IN ORE TO CREATE MODIFIED ROOM AND PILLAR METHOD. BROKEN ORE IS MOVED DOWNWARD INTO ORE PASSES BY SLUSHER AND RAIL-HAULED TO MAIN HAULAGE INCLINE SHAFTS. SURFACE FACILITIES CONSIST OF HAND SORTING, SCREENS, BALL MILLS, VIBRATORY TABLES AND WASHING. OUTPUT CONSISTS OF UNTREATED ORE AND TREATED FINES AS CONCENTRATES.
  • NUMEROUS OLD SHAFTS; TRENCH 22.5 M LONG, 12M DEEP, AND 7.5 M WIDE REVEALS SEVERAL QUARTZ STRINGERS.

Comments on development

  • MILL.CAP: 0.3 MIL. MET. T/YR ; ECON.COM: PRODUCTION LARGELY ORIENTED TOWARD SUPPLY OF GENERAL MINING/UCAR CHARGE CHROME PLANT AT STEELPOORT. CHEMICAL GRADE SURPLUSES ARE EXPORTED. A LONG-LIFE MINE WITH SALES STABILITY REASONABLY WELL GUARANTEED LOCALLY.
  • THIS MINE 30 M NORTH OF COTTON PATCH GOLD MINE, AK-003, ON ADJOINING HILL CREST; MOUNTAIN CREEK MINE OPENED TO TOURISTS FOR PANNING AND GOLD DIGGING

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Analytical Data

    SRC.REF: FERROUS AND NONFERROUS MINES AND WORKS IN SOUTH AFRICA; MINERALS BUREAU; DIRECTORY NO. 3/79

  • Deposit

    MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, FIFTH EDITION, HANDBOOK 7, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DEPARTMENT OF MINES; 1976.

  • Deposit

    MARKETING DIRECTORY, NO. 2 FERROUS AND NONFERROUS METALS AND MINERALS IN SOUTH AFRICA; MINERALS BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF MINES; 1977 .

  • Deposit

    OPERATING MINES IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA; MINERALS BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF MINES; DIRECTORY NO. 1/79 ; 1979 .

  • Deposit

    WAGNER, 1925, PLATINUM DEPOSITS IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE LYDENBURG DISTRICT: SOUTH AFRICA JOURNAL INDUSTRIES BULLETIN 102, P. 14.

  • Deposit

    DEYOUNG AND OTHERS, 1984, INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIC MINERALS INVENTORY SUMMARY REPORT-- CHROMIUM: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 930-B, 41 P.

  • Deposit

    "CHROMIUM AND FERROCHROMIUM IN SOUTH AFRICA"; SAUNDERS & TAYLOR, STOCK AND SHARE BROKERS; JOHANNESBURG; NOVEMBER 1975 . "THE CHROMITE DEPOSITS OF THE BUSHVELD IGNEOUS COMPLEX"; GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DEPARTMENT OF MINES; KUPFERBURGER, W. AND LOMBAARD, B. V.; 1937

  • Other Database

    ISMI

  • Production

    REPORTERS ESTIMATES BASED ON INDUSTRY INDICATORS AND OFFICIAL (MINERALS BUREAU) COUNTRY TOTALS ; REPORTER'S ESTIMATES BASED ON INDUSTRY INDICATORS AND OFFICIAL (MINERALS BUREAU) COUNTRY TOTALS ; REPORTERS ESTIMATES BASED ON INDUSTRY INDICATORS AND OFFICIAL (MINERALS BUREAU) COUNTRY TOTALS. ; REPORTER'S ESTIMATE BASED ON INDUSTRY INDICATORS AND OFFICIAL (MINERALS BUREAU) COUNTRY TOTALS

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit MAX. THICKNESS REFERS TO IN SITU WIDTH OF THE "MAIN" CHROMITE SEAM IN THE AREA'S "LOWER CHROME GROUP". DEPTH TO TOP IS RANGE FROM SUB-OUTCROP TO CURRENT VERTICAL MAX. MINING DEPTH. DEPTH TO BOTTOM (I.E. MAXIMUM DEPTH OF MINABLE ORE) NOT KNOWN.
Deposit THIS RECORD INCLUDES DATA FROM DUPLICATE RECORD M046259 WHICH HAS BEEN DELETED FROM MRDS.
Deposit INFORMATION MERGED FROM RECORD NUMBER W028907 ; W030783 ; W032259 ; W055318
Deposit QUARTZ STRINGERS PINCH AND SWELL BUT GENERALLY ARE NARROW; IRON-STAINED QUARTZ CONTAINS CONCENTRATIONS OF CHLORITE
Deposit QUARTZ STRINGERS IN ANDESITIC TUFF; NO MINERALIZATION OTHER THAN MAGNETITE CRYSTALS IN COUNTRY ROCK. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-AUG-1979 Sweetwood, Charles W. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1982 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-JUL-1982 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1987 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State

Beyond USGS

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

Maps centered on this site