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Kroondal Chrome Mine

Producer in South Africa with commodities Chromium, PGE, Iron, Silica
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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 10079238
MRDS ID W028411
Record type Site
Current site name Kroondal Chrome Mine

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 27.33478, -25.74663 (WGS84)
Elevation 1216
Relative position 13 KILOMETERS SOUTHEAST OF THE TOWN OF RUSTENBURG

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

South Africa(country)

Africa(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
South Africa

Comments on the location information

  • ON LOWER WOODED HILL SLOPE IN BACK OF BETHEL CHURCH IN RURAL AREA; DIGITIZED FROM STROMQUIST AND HENDERESON, 1985.

Commodities

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

Comments on the commodity information

  • SMALL GOLD MINE IN QUARTZ VEIN

Materials information

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

Alteration

  • (Local) Surface And Near-Surface Alteration Of Felspathic Materials Only

Analytical data

Result CHROME SAND CONCENTRATES: CR2O3 46 %, SIO2 1 - 1.5 %, FEO 26 % MAX., AL2O3 16.5 %, MGO 12.0 % MAX. LUMP ORE ANALYSES NOT AVAILABLE.

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) Neoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Pliocene
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock > Gabbro

Nearby scientific data

(1) 27.33478, -25.74663
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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 NE - SW
    Dip 12 DEG NW
    Thickness 1M
    Length 2500M
    Depth to top 300M
    Depth to bottom 302M

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.

Comments on the geologic information

  • SIMILAR TO PARKER MINE. SILICIFIED-, CHLORITE-, AND SERICITE-RICH AMYGDALOIDAL METABASALTSuCONTAIN FINELY DISSEMINATED PYRITE. LODE IS 1-2 M WIDE WITH NARROW OREuSTREAKS. AT THE NORTH END OF THE PROPERTY 7-10 CM THICK QUARTZ STRINGERSuCONTAIN SIGNIFICANT GOLD.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant No
Year of first production 1924

Mining district

District name Rustenburg (Western) Belt; Bushveld Igneous Complex

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Marble Lime And Associated Industries Ltd..
  • Type Owner
    Owner General Mining And Finance Corp., Ltd.

Production statistics

  • 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 1978
    Material ORE CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^40 % Cr2o3 (Approximately)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Cr2O3 Chromium Chromium 40wt-pct
  • Year 1979
    Material ORE CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^40% Cr2o3 (Approximately)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Cr2O3 Chromium Chromium 40wt-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 ORE CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^40% Cr2o3 Approximately
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Cr2O3 Chromium Chromium 40wt-pct
  • Year 1980
    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 1981
    Period 1924-1981
    Material CON CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Cp_Grade: ^46 % Cr2o3 Approx
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Cr2O3 Conc. Chromium Chromium 46wt-pct
  • Year 1981
    Period 1924-1981
    Material ORE CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Cp_Grade: ^40 % Cr2o3 Approx
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Cr2O3 Chromium Chromium 40wt-pct

Comments on the production information

  • NO PRODUCTION DATA AVAILABLE SINCE 1981

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1978
    Total resources 197000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Chromium Cr2O3 40 wt-pct Chromium Major 1978

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • INDICATED RESERVES TO A VERTICAL DEPTH OF 300 METERS

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 2000M
    Overall depth 302M

Comments on the workings information

  • A LARGE TRENCH TRENDING N 70 E IS 4.5 M WIDE, 15 M LONG, AND 1.5 M DEEP. IN 1887 A SHAFT WAS OPENED TO A DEPTH OF 38 M. SURFACE WORKINGS EXTEND IN NORTHWEST DIRECTION FOR 70 M. OTHER WORKINGS CONSIST OF NUMEROUS PITS AND TRENCHES OVER AN AREA APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS SQUARE. THE WORKINGS ARE CONSIDERABLY OVERGROWN.
  • 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 VIA MAIN HAULAGE DRIFTS TO SKIP LOADING POINTS FOR INCLINE SHAFT HOISTING TO THE SURFACE. WASTE IS BACK-FILLED UNDERGROUND. STOPING WIDTHS AVERAGE 1.75 METER TO REMOVE BOTH SEAMS DESCRIBED ABOVE. SURFACE FACILITIES CONSIST OF HAND SORTING TABLES, SCREENS, BALL MILLS, VIBRATORY TABLES AND WASHING.

Comments on development

  • THE PRESENT OPERATOR ASSUMED CONTROL OF THIS MINE IN 1947 . EARLIER OPERATORS DATE BACK TO 1924 . ; MILL.CAP: 0.3 MIL. MET. T/YR. ; ECON.COM: LARGELY EXPORT-ORIENTED, WITH LOCAL SALES AS WELL. BULK OF SALES ARE IN THE FOUNDRY SANDS MARKETS. THE MINE HAS EXPANDED IN RECENT YEARS AND CAN BE EASILY STEPPED UP FURTHER WITHOUT DAMAGING LONG-LIFE OUTLOOK.
  • FIRST OPERATED AS PLACER. IN 1933 EXTENSIVE EXPLORATION INDICATED DEPOSIT OF LOW GRADE FOR GOLD . THE MINE WAS APPARENTLY INACTIVE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME PRIOR TO 1933 WHEN EXTENSIVE EXPLORATION WORK WAS CARRIED OUT. THE DEPOSIT PROVED TO BE OF TOO LOW GRADE TO BE WORKED ECONOMICALLY.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Analytical Data

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

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    CHROMITE MINES AND RESOURCES IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA; UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO FOR M.A.S., US BUREAU OF MINES; SIEMS, P., CRIST, E. M. AND SHEEHAN, L. E. JR.; 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

    "THE CHROMITE DEPOSITS IN THE RUSTENBURG AREA"; DEPARTMENT OF MINES, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY; BULLETIN 27 ; FOURIE, G. P.; 1959 . "THE CHROMITE DEPOSITS OF THE BUSHVELD IGNEOUS COMPLEX", DEPARTMENT OF MINES, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY; KUPFERBURGER, W. AND LOMBAARD, B. V. 1937

  • Production

    REPORTERS ESTIMATE 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

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit MAX. THICKNESS REFERS TO AGGREGATE THICKNESS OF TWO SEAMS CURRENTLY BEING WORKED IN THE "LOWER GROUP" OF CHROME SEAMS ( TOTAL MINABLE SEAMS; 4 ). DEPTH TO TOP IS RANGE FROM OUTCROP TO CURRENT VERTICAL MAX. MINING DEPTH. DEPTH TO BOTTOM IS CURRENT MAX. MINING DEPTH, THOUGH ORE CONTINUES TO GREATER DEPTHS IN THE COMPANY'S LEASEHOLD. ALL MINING (CURRENT AND PLANNED) IS IN THE "CRITICAL ZONE" OF THE BUSHVELD IGNEOUS COMPLEX. MAX. LENGTH IS STRIKE LENGTH OF MINABLE CHROMITE IN THIS LEASEHOLD.
Deposit INFORMATION MERGED FROM RECORD NUMBER W028893 ; W030778 ; W032262 ; W055316
Deposit NOT THE BRIGHT LIGHT OF UNION COUNTY
Deposit ORE ZONE 1.2 TO 2.1 M THICK BUT PAY STREAK WAS NARROW, OFTEN ONLY A THIN LINE; THREE QUARTZ VEINS REPORTED

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.

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