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Western Holdings

Producer in Free State, South Africa with commodities Gold, PGE, Platinum, Osmium, Iridium, Rhodium, Ruthenium, Silver, Uranium
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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 10089217
MRDS ID W014846
Record type Site
Current site name Western Holdings
Related records 10191297, 10280180, 10304882

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 26.66816, -27.97988 (WGS84)
Elevation 1350
Relative position NORTHWEST OF, AND ADJOINING, WELKOM CITY LIMITS

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

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
PGE Critical Secondary
Platinum Critical Secondary
Osmium Secondary
Iridium Critical Secondary
Rhodium Critical Secondary
Ruthenium Critical Secondary
Silver Secondary
Uranium Tertiary

Comments on the commodity information

  • GOLD, ONLY, IS RECOVERED AT THIS MINE. URANIUM CONTENT IS LOW, BUT CONSIDERED AS A FUTURE POTENTIAL COPRODUCT 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 COMPOSITION OF PLATINOIDS: IR = 33.0%, OS = 42.5%, RU = 12.5%, PT = 8.9%, RH = 1.1%

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 Upper Elsburg Conglomerates And Quartzites;Karroo System Conglomerates And Shales
    Rock description Upper Elsburg Conglomerates And Quartzites;Karroo System Conglomerates And Shales
  • 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) 26.66816, -27.97988
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

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

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR/BLANKET
    Dip 20 DEG. E
    Thickness 0.19M
    Depth to bottom 1370M

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 Metallic
Deposit size Medium
Significant No
Year of first production 1953

Mining district

District name Orange Free State Area Of The Witwatersrand Goldfields

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Ownership Distribution:
  • Type Joint Venture Partner
    Owner Anglo American Corp. Of South Africa, Ltd. (Management Control)
    Interest 20.94
  • Type Joint Venture Partner
    Owner Orange Free State Inves. Trust Ltd.
    Interest 21.01
  • Type Joint Venture Partner
    Owner Union Corp. Ltd.
  • Type Operator
    Owner Western Holdings Ltd.

Production statistics

  • Year 1984
    Period 1984
    Material ORE
    Description Cp_Grade: ^0.320 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore And 0.11 Kg U3o8/Met Ton
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    U3O8 Ore Uranium Uranium 110g/mt
    Ore Gold Gold 9g/mt
  • Year 1985
    Period 1985
    Material ORE
    Description Cp_Grade: ^0.297 Toz Au/Met Ton And 0.12 Kg U308/Met Ton Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    U3O8 Ore Uranium Uranium 120g/mt
    Ore Gold Gold 8g/mt

Comments on the production information

  • CUMULATIVE PRODUCTION INCLUDES WLKOM, FREE STATE SAAIPLASS AND WESTERN HOLDINGS. WESTERN HOLDINGS WORKS THE BIRD REEF GROUP. AU/PT RECOVERY = 8830:1. ; ANNUAL PRODUCTION INCLUDES 1981 PRODUCTION FOR THE WELKOM AND FREE STATE SAAIPLAAS MINING OPERATIONS, ACQUIRED BY WESTERN HOLDINGS IN 1981. ; SEE COMMODITY COMMENTS ABOVE

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1984
    Total resources 1314000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 9.953 g/mt Gold Major 1984
    Uranium U3O8 0.00011 wt-pct Uranium Trace 1984

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSES OF WORKING RESULTS - 1984. ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1984

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 1370M

Comments on the workings information

  • MINING METHOD: CROSSCUTS FROM THE SHAFT TO ORE HORIZON (REEF) AT 150 - METER INTERVALS; DRIVES ALONG THE STRIKE AND WINZES DOWN - DIP COMPLETE DEVELOPMENT; STOPING AND BACKFILLING ("SCATTER MINING") WITH CRIB TIMBER SUPPORT AND PILLARS COMPRISE FINAL MINING PHASE.

Comments on development

  • EXPAN$: 3.0 (1976) ; MILL.CAP: 3.2 MIL. MET. T/YR. 1971 ; ECON.COM: A HIGH GRADE GOLD PRODUCER WITH URANIUM POTENTIAL. CURRENTLY PLANNED TO BECOME PART OF ANGLO AMERICAN'S COMBINED ORANGE FREE STATE URANIUM RECOVERY SCHEME IN 1978. ESTIMATED MINE LIFE: 13 YEARS. CURRENT OPERATING COST: $54.11/TROY OUNCE OF GOLD RECOVERED.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    WESTERN HOLDINGS LIMITED; ANNUAL REPORT, 1975

  • Deposit

    "THE ORANGE FREE STATE GOLDFIELD" (ANGLO AMERICAN CORPORATION OF SOUTH AFRICA LIMITED): 1960

  • 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 OF SOUTH AFRICA 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 GOLD SHARES; IVOR JONES, ROY AND CO., INC., JOHANNESBURG; 1975 MINING JOURNAL QUARTERLY REVIEW OF SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD SHARES, VOL. 19, NO. 1; MAY 197

  • Production

    ANALYSES OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA (CURRENT YEAR) ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1983 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1984 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1985 ; ANALYSES OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA - 1980 ; CHAMBER OF MINES 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 1979 ; ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA, JANUARY-DECEMBER, 1977

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit MAX THICKNESS REFERS TO BASAL REEF ORE HORIZON ONLY
Deposit THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE WESTERN HOLDINGS COMPLEX BECAME EFFECTIVE ON JULY 1, 1981, WITH THE ACQUISITION OF THE UNDERTAKINGS OF WELKOM GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED AND FREE STATE SAAIPLASS GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED, TOGETHER WITH THE MINING LEASE IN RESPECT OF THE ERFDEEL/DANKBAARMEID AREA. THE COMPLEX NOW CONSISTS OF 4 DIVISIONS: WESTERN HOLDINGS, WELKOM, SAAIPLASS, AND ERFDEEL. THIS RECORD INCLUDES DATA FROM DUPLICATE RECORD M046302 WHICH HAS BEEN DELETED FROM MRDS.
Deposit INFORMATION MERGED FROM RECORD NUMBER W028249 ; W028682 ; W028724 ; W030950 ; W032353 ; W032960 ; W033169 ; W033796 ; W044609

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-FEB-1977 Sweetwood, Charles W. Department of State
Updater 01-JUN-1985 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-OCT-1978 Sweetwood, Charles W. 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-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

Beyond USGS

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

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