Onverdacht Bauxite Mine

Producer in Suriname with commodity Aluminum
Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Nearby scientific data
  8. Ore body information
  9. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  10. Mining district
  11. Mineral rights holdings
  12. Land status
  13. Ownership information
  14. Production statistics
  15. Reserves and resources
  16. Workings at the site
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10182282
MAS/MILS ID 3150000038
Record type Site
Current site name Onverdacht Bauxite Mine
Alternate or previous names Para Mine, Onverdacht Deposit, Kankantrie Mine

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -55.14983, 5.63409 (WGS84)
Elevation 3
Location accuracy 500(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Suriname(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
Suriname

Comments on the location information

  • THE MILL IS DYRING PLANT, LOCATED AT SAMLKALDEN.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Aluminum Critical Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Gibbsite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -55.14983, 5.63409

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike W90E
    Dip 10N
    Thickness 6M
    Length 6000M
    Width 1500M
    Depth to top 30M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 3
    Type of Orebody #1 LATERITE
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 REPLACEMENT
    Shape of Orebody #2 LENTICULAR
    Primary mode of Origin OXIDATION
    Secondary mode of Origin RESIDUAL CONCENT
    Primary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Secondary Ore Control BEDDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 UNKNOWN
    Strike And Dip W90E:10N
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 30
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Date of Last Modification 900724
  • Area 1200HA
    Field Value
    Total Surface Area (HA) 1200
    Date of Last Modification 910418

Comments on the geologic information

  • GANGUE MINERALS INCLUDE SILICA AND CLAYS. HEMATITE AND OTHER IRON OXIDES AVERAGE 8.5 TO 10.5 PERCENT
  • STRIKE IS EAST-WEST, DIP IS 10 DEG N.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1939
Year of first production 1941

Mining district

District name Paranam District

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Private Lease
Type of mineral rights Minerals Only

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Billiton
    Interest 76
    Home office Netherlands
    Year 1993
  • Type Owner
    Owner Surinam Aluminium Co. (Suralco)
    Interest 24
    Home office Surinam
    Year 1993

Comments on the ownership information

  • SURALCO IS A WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF ALCOA. IN AN EFFORT TO REACH ITS LONG-TERM GOAL OF WITHDRAWING FROM THE METALS BUSINESS, ROYAL DUTCH/SHELL IS NEGOTIATING THE SALE OF CERTAIN PROPERTIES, INCLUDING ONVERDACHT, TO GENCOR OF SOUTH AFRICA. ALCOA HAS PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS TO THE MINE.

Production statistics

  • Year 1980
    Description Bauxite Ore 2009 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 2009mt
  • Year 1981
    Description Bauxite Ore 1873 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 1873mt
  • Year 1982
    Description Bauxite Ore 1361 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 1361mt
  • Year 1983
    Description Bauxite Ore 1166 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 1166mt
  • Year 1984
    Description Bauxite Ore 1840 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 1840mt
  • Year 1985
    Description Bauxite Ore 2088 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 2088mt
  • Year 1986
    Description Bauxite Ore 2100 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 2100mt
  • Year 1987
    Description Bauxite Ore 2100 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 2100mt

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1991
    Indicated 35000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 35000000mt ore
    Total resources 35000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Aluminum Al2O3 59 wt-pct Aluminum Major 1991
    Silica SiO2 5.1 wt-pct Silica 1991
    Iron Fe2O3 2 wt-pct Iron 1991
    Titanium TiO2 2.7 wt-pct Titanium 1991

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • SINCE 1984 RESERVES FOR THE LELYDORP MINE (3150000040) HAVE BEEN INCLUDED WITH THIS DEPOSIT BY BILLITON. GOLDERS RESERVE ESTIMATE IS BASED ON A SPECIAL REPORT FROM THE JBI. GOLDERS TONNAGE ESTIMAT IS FOR "BONE DRY ORE". M1C3=M9C6; JAN 1987 UPDATE STUDY RESERVER/RESOURCE ESTIMATE. THIS IS THE INSITU ORE RESERVE, MINE RECOVERY IS ESTIMATED TO BE 71 TO 80%.
  • BILLITON (ONVERDACHT) ON OLD ADIT. ONE OF THE 12 BAUXITE MINES VISITED IN 1987 AS PART OF THE PB/ZN/AL CONTRACT. RESERVES REPORTED TO BE DEPLETED. NEW MINE BEING DEVELOPED.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method STRIP-AREA
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 6
    Primary Material Cover SAND, SILT
    Percentage 100
    Hardness of Ore SAND, SILT
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 20
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 25
    Capacity 7200
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 250
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1987
  • Type of workings Underground
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Capacity 7200
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 250
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1987

Comments on the workings information

  • MINE OPERATES BELOW SEA LEVEL

Comments on other economic factors

  • THIS DEPOSIT HAS 85% METAL GRADE AND 15% REFRACTORY GRADE BAUXITE. FOR THE 1987 UPDATE ALL BAUXITE ORE WILL BE CONSIDERED METAL GRADE. STRIPPING RATIO IS APPROXIMATELY 4:1 WASTE TO ORE. A CRUSHING PLANT IS LOCATED AT THE MINE SITE.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    ALEVA, G.J.J., THE BURIED BAUXITE DEPOSIT OF ONVBERDACHT,

  • Deposit

    SURINAM, SOUTH AMERICA, GEOLOGIE EN MIJNBOUN,1965, P45-58

  • Deposit

    LAML, NOV, 23, 1989, P3.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, VOL. 309, #7942, NOV. 6, 1987, P367.

  • Deposit

    LAML, NOV. 16, 1987, P?.

  • Deposit

    MINING ANNUAL REVIEW, 1987, P?.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, VOL 308, #7914, APRIL 24, 1987, P310.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOUNNAL, OCTOBER 31, 1986, P318.

  • Deposit

    ALEVA, G.J.J., BAUXITE AND OTHER DURICRUSTS IN SURINAM, A

  • Deposit

    REVIEW, GOELOGIE EN MIJNBOUN, 1979, P.321-336.

  • Deposit

    ARGALL, G.O. JR., BUCKET WHEELS, DREDGES, DRAGLINES STRIP

  • Deposit

    AND MINE AT BILLITON, SURINAM, WORLD MINING, 1976,P.46-51

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, SURINAM, 62 YEARS OF BAUXIE

  • Deposit

    DEVELOPMENT, 12 YEARS OF ALUMINA-ALUMINUM PRODUCTION,

  • Deposit

    NOV. 1977, P. 75-78.

  • Deposit

    JAMAICA BAUXITE INSTITUTE, SPECIAL REPORT FOR GOLDER ASSOC.,

  • Deposit

    INC., MAR. 1981.

  • Deposit

    KERSEN, J.F. BAUXITE DEPOSITS IN SURINAM AND DEMERARA

  • Deposit

    (BRITISH GUIANA), LEIDSE GEOLOGISCHE MEDEDELIGEN, 1956,

  • Deposit

    P. 247-375

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINES REGISTER, 1979-1980, P. 181-182.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 23-SEP-1996 Wilburn, David R. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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