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Vergenoeg Fluorspar Mine

Producer in South Africa with commodities Fluorine-Fluorite, Iron
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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. Links to other databases
  20. Bibliographic references
  21. General comments
  22. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10089697
MRDS ID W028417
Record type Site
Current site name Vergenoeg Fluorspar Mine
Related records 10232122

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 28.28477, -25.27997 (WGS84)
Elevation 1067
Relative position 110 KILOMETERS NORTHEAST OF THE CITY OF PRETORIA

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

South Africa(country)

Africa(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
South Africa

Comments on the location information

  • ALONG CREEK BANK AND BOTTOM IN AREA OF MOSTLY GENTLY ROLLING TERRAIN

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Fluorine-Fluorite Critical Primary
Iron Secondary

Comments on the commodity information

  • FLUORITE IS THE ONLY COMMODITY RECOVERED BY THIS COMPANY AT THIS LOCATION. THERE ARE NO KNOWN PLANS TO EXPLOIT THE HEMATITE, THOUGH EARLY EXPLORATION FOCUSED ON THE IRON ORE THAT EXISTS. THE DISCOVERY OF HIGH GRADE FLUORITE, AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LOW GRADE IRON ORE ONLY, SET THE PATTERN FOR DEVELOPMENT.
  • BURNT FOR AGRICULTURAL LIME, CRUSHED FOR CONSTRUCTION STONE

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Fluorite Ore
Hematite Ore
Feldspar Gangue

Alteration

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

Analytical data

Result MINE-RUN ORE: 30 - 35 % CAF2
Result PRODUCTS: ACID GRADE FILTERCAKE, 96.5 % CAF2
Result METALLURGICAL LUMP SPAR: 75.0 % CAF2 .

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock
    Rock unit name Bushveld Igneous Complex-In This Area, Largely Granite;Rooiberg Felsite, Pretoria Series, Transvaal System
    Rock description Bushveld Igneous Complex-In This Area, Largely Granite;Rooiberg Felsite, Pretoria Series, Transvaal System
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Pliocene
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Granite
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Granite

Nearby scientific data

(1) 28.28477, -25.27997
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 Of Minor Importance. Erosion, Peneplanation And Build-Up Of Younger Sediments Are Basic Criteria Regionally.
Type of structure Local
Structure description Locally, Faults And Folds Are Of Minor Importance Only. The Exact Shape Of The Orebody Is Not Known As No Wall Rock Contacts Are Exposed. The Fluorite Is Massive, Granular, Green-To-White In Color And Stained Brown By Secondary Iron On Cleavage Planes.

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR/BLANKET
    Depth to top 30M

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 Both
Deposit size Medium
Significant No

Mining district

District name Bushveld Igneous Complex

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Vergenoeg Mining Co. (Pty) Ltd.
  • Type Owner
    Owner Bayer A. G. (West Germany)

Production statistics

  • Year 1978
    Material CON F
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^Two-Product Range: 75 - 97 % Caf2
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    CaF2 Conc. Fluorine-Fluorite Fluorine 86wt-pct
  • Year 1978
    Material ORE
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^35 % Caf2 (Approximately)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    CaF2 Ore Fluorine-Fluorite Fluorine 35wt-pct
  • Year 1979
    Material CON F
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^Two-Product Range: 75-97% Caf2
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    CaF2 Conc. Fluorine-Fluorite Fluorine 86wt-pct
  • Year 1979
    Material ORE F
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^35% Caf2 (Approximately)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    CaF2 Ore Fluorine-Fluorite Fluorine 35wt-pct
  • Year 1980
    Material CON F
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^Two-Product Range 75-97% Caf2
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    CaF2 Conc. Fluorine-Fluorite Fluorine 86wt-pct
  • Year 1980
    Material ORE F
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^35% Caf2 Approximately
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    CaF2 Ore Fluorine-Fluorite Fluorine 35wt-pct
  • Year 1981
    Period 1970-1981
    Material CON F
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Cp_Grade: ^Two-Product Range: 75-97% Caf2
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    CaF2 Conc. Fluorine-Fluorite Fluorine 86wt-pct
  • Year 1981
    Period 1970-1981
    Material ORE F
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Cp_Grade: ^32% Caf2 (Approximately)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    CaF2 Ore Fluorine-Fluorite Fluorine 32wt-pct

Comments on the production information

  • FIRST YEAR OF PRODUCTION NOT KNOWN. ESTIMATES PRIOR TO 1970 NOT POSSIBLE. ACCURATE PRODUCTION DATA NOT AVAILABLE. ESTIMATES BASED ON INDUSTRY INDICATORS AND MINERALS BUREAU COUNTRY TOTALS. ; NO PRODUCTION DATA AVAILABLE ; NO ACCURATE PRODUCTION DATA AVAILABLE BUT VERGENOEG IS BELIEVED TO PRODUCED ABOUT 15% OF TOTAL SOUTH AFRICAN PRODUCTION.
  • PROBABLY VERY SMALL PRODUCTION OF CONSTRUCTION STONE AND AGRICULTURAL LIME FOR LOCAL USE.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1976
    Total resources 2000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Fluorine-Fluorite CaF2 30 wt-pct Fluorine Major 1976

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • UNKNOWN, AS MARBLE OCCURS AS DISCONTINUOUS LENSES

Comments on the workings information

  • SEE DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSIT COMMENTS. MINING IS BY CONVENTIONAL OPEN PIT, SELECTIVE, METHODS. OVERBURDEN IS REMOVED BY POWER SHOVEL AND TRUCKS AND MINERALIZED HORIZONS BY RIPPER AND FRONT-END LOADER. BENEFICIATION PLANT CONSISTS OF CRUSHERS, SCREENS, BALL MILLS, CYCLONES AND FLOTATION TO PRODUCE AN ACID GRADE PRODUCT FOR EXPORT. METALLURGICAL GRADE FLUORSPAR IS SOLD LOCALLY.
  • QUARRY SITE NOT RECOGNIZABLE; PROBABLY WAS SMALL

Comments on development

  • MILL.CAP: 0.2 MIL. MET. T/YR. ; ECON.COM: A WELL DEVELOPED, AND LARGE, OPEN PIT MINING PLAN. THE FLOURITE IS MASSIVE, GRANULAR, AND RELATIVELY PURE WITH NO GANGUE OTHER THAN SECONDARY IRON ON THE CLEAVAGE PLANES. A LONG-LIFE OPERATION, FROM ADEQUATE ORE RESERVES CAN BE FORECAST.
  • REMAINS OF OLD LIME KILN 90M DOWNSTREAM ON WEST SIDE OF CREEK; REMAINS OF ANOTHER OLD KILN ARE ON THE EAST SIDE OF CREEK ABOUT 140M S45W OF THE OLD SHUFORD HOUSE

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Analytical Data

    SRC.REF: FLUORSPAR: 1973 - 1980 - A COMMODITY PROFILE: GOSSLING, H. H.; MINERALS BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF MINES; 1978

  • Deposit

    "FLUORSPAR"; VOL. V; NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR METALLURGY, NATURAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING; OERTEL, M. K.; 1966 .

  • Deposit

    NONMETALLIC MINES IN SOUTH AFRICA, PRELIMINARY REPORT NO. 10 ; MINERALS BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF MINES; CORIN, E. R.; 1977 .

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, FIFTH EDITION, HANDBOOK 7 ; GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DEPARTMENT OF MINES; 1976 . FLUORSPAR: 1973 - 1980 - A COMMODITY PROFILE; GOSSLING, H. H.; MINERALS BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF MINES; 197

  • Production

    ACCURATE PRODUCTION DATA NOT AVAILABLE. ORE AND CONCENTRATE PRODUCTION ESTIMATES DERIVED FROM KNOWN MILL CAPACITY, PUBLISHED ALL-INDUSTRY PRODUCTION DATA AND INDUSTRY TREND REPORTS. ; ESTIMATE BASED ON COUNTRY TOTAL ; ESTIMATE BASED ON TOTAL COUNTRY PRODUCTION AND KNOWN PRODUCTION OF OTHER MINES ; ESTIMATES BASED ON OFFICIAL (MINERALS BUREAU) 1981 COUNTRY TOTALS. ; ACCURATE PRODUCTION DATA NOT AVAILABLE. ESTIMATES BASED ON INDUSTRY INDICATORS AND MINERALS BUREAU 1980 COUNTRY TOTALS

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THE SHAPE OF THE OREBODY IS NOT KNOWN AS NO WALL ROCK CONTACTS ARE EXPOSED. MAXIMUM THICKNESS DATA ARE NOT AVAILABLE, THOUGH THE MINABLE FLUORITE IS REPORTEDLY MASSIVE. DEPTH TO TOP IS FROM OUTCROP TO CURRENT MAXIMUM MINING DEPTH. ULTIMATE PLANNED MINING DEPTH NOT KNOWN.
Deposit INFORMATION MERGED FROM RECORD NUMBER W028842 ; W030980 ; W032314 ; W033049 ; W044600 ; W044603 ; W044652
Deposit OUTCROPS ALONG CREEK; MARBLE OCCURS AS DISCONTINUOUS LENSES
Deposit KINGS MOUNTAIN GROUP CONSISTS OF BEDDED QUARTZITE, MARBLE, CONGLOMERATE AND SCHIST; MARBLE FINE-GRAINED WITH DARK BLUE AND WHITE LAYERS ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-SEP-1979 Sweetwood, Charles W. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1981 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-1983 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-APR-1986 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1984 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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