Rustenberg Mineral Development

Plant in South Africa with commodities Chromium, Iron, Silica
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. Ownership information
  12. Production statistics
  13. Workings at the site
  14. Links to other databases
  15. Bibliographic references
  16. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10255791
MAS/MILS ID 7910200047
Record type Site
Current site name Rustenberg Mineral Development
Alternate or previous names Consolidated Chrome Mine, Groenfontein Mine

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Claim
Geographic coordinates: 26.92225, -25.12166 (WGS84)
Elevation 5000
Location accuracy 5000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

South Africa(country)

Africa(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
South Africa

Comments on the location information

  • MINE LOCATED ON FARM GROENFONTEIN IN RUSTENBURG AREA.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Chromium Critical Primary
Iron Tertiary
Silica Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Pyroxene Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Claim (1) 26.92225, -25.12166

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N45E
    Dip 11E
    Thickness 0.7M
    Length 2400M
    Width 1778M
    Depth to top 150M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 STRATIFORM
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin MAGMATIC DIFFER
    Primary Ore Control IGNEOUS
    Secondary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. UNKNOWN
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 UNKNOWN
    Strike And Dip N45E:11E
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Date of Last Modification 920723
  • Strike N45E
    Dip 11E
    Thickness 0.36M
    Length 2400M
    Width 1778M
    Depth to top 150M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 2
    Type of Orebody #1 STRATIFORM
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin MAGMATIC DIFFER
    Primary Ore Control IGNEOUS
    Secondary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Strike And Dip N45E:11E
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Date of Last Modification 920723

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1945
Mining method Open Stope - Breast Stoping
Year of first production 1956
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Crush
Milling method Sizing

Mining district

District name West Bushveld Complex

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Rustenburg Mineral Development Corp.
    Home office South Africa
    Year 1992
  • Type Owner
    Owner Assoc. Ore And Metals Corp. Ltd.
    Interest 100
    Home office South Africa
    Year 1992

Comments on the ownership information

  • THE GROENFONTEIN MINE IS OPERATED BY THE RUSTENBURG MINERAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION,A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF ASSOCIATED ORE AND METALS OF SOUTH AFRICA

Production statistics

  • Year 1956
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Estimated Mt/Yr. 1956-1975 20000 Mt Ore/Year
  • Year 1975
    Description 1975 Ore Production 10150 Mt Ore/Year
  • Year 1976
    Description Bought By Assoc. Ore & Metals Mt Ore/Year
  • Year 1977
    Description Redevel. 1977-1978 0 Mt Ore/Year
  • Year 1979
    Description Ore Production 99000 Mt Ore/Year
  • Year 1980
    Description Ore Production 114000 Mt Ore/Year
  • Year 1981
    Description Ore Production 1981-1983 150000 Mt Ore/Year
  • Year 1984
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Est. Ore Production 200000 Mt Ore/Year
  • Year 1985
    Description Ore Production 1985-1987 204000 Mt Ore/Year
  • Year 1987
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ore Production 1987-2024 408000 Mt Ore/Year

Comments on the production information

  • PRODUCTS "A" AND "B" ARE FROM THE LG6 SEAM WHICH HAS A CR/FE RATIO OF 1.6/1.0. PRODUCTS "C" AND "D" ARE FROM THE LG4 AND HAVE A CR/FE RATIO OF 2.0/1.0.
  • IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE MINE PRODUCED 20,000 MT ORE/YEAR FOR THE TIME BETWEEN 1956 AND 1976. TONNAGES FOR 1976 - 1978 WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • RESOURCE TONNAGE ESTIMATES IN Q-MAT 1 REPRESENTS IN-SITU TONNAGE CONTAINED IN TWO SEAMS (LG6 IN COL 1 AND LG4 IN COL 2). 75 % PROB. LEVEL ASSUMES A .7M AND .36M THICKNESS FOR LG6 AND LG4 RESPECTIVELY TO A 300M VERT. DEPTH. COL 3 REPRESENTS COMBINED LG 6 AND LG 4 TONNAGE. MATRIX 2 = RECOVERABLE ORE TONNAGE, AGAIN WITH SEAM LG6 IN COL. 1, LG4 IN COL. 2 (.7M AND .36M THICK RESPECTIVELY). COL. 3 IS THE COMBINED TONNAGE OF BOTH SEAMS. ALL ANALYSIS IS BASED ON AN 80 % RECOVERY RATIO.
  • 1/89 INSITU DEMO.TONNAGE TO 300 M VERT., 80 PCT RECOV.-ABOUT 50 PCT IS LG6 SEAM ORE AND 50 PCT IS LG4 SEAM ORE. DIPS= 9-10DEGS
  • WAS THE "CONSOLIDATED CHROME" PROPERTY IN OLD 1980 STUDY. ALSO: GROENFONTEIN 138JP FARM. OPERATOR= RUSTENBURG MINERAL DEVELOPMENT CORP.(PTY) LTD. TOTAL ROM CAP.= 408,000 MTPY (200,000 FROM LG6 SEAM & 208,000 FROM LG4 SEAM). TOTAL PRODS.= 279,000 MTPY (175,000 FROM LG6 ORE AND 104,000 FROM LG4 ORE). TRUCK 49 KM TO BOSCHOEK, THAN RAILED 350 KM TO MACHADODORP OR 870 KM TO RICHARDS BAY. LG4 SEAM THICKNESS = .35 M, 2.0 CR/FE; LG6= .70M THICK,1.6 CR/FE

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 31200M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method BREAST STOPING 10-30
    Percent Recovery 80
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK WITH LITTLE WATER
    Rock Characteristics MULTIPLE SYSTEMS OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING
    Mine Support Chars. POST, HEADBOARD, CAPS, ROOF BOLTS
    Length of Inclines (m) 1580
    Slope of Inclines 11
    Number of Inclines 2
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 800
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 14.32
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 250
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1992
  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 31200M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 2
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method BREAST STOPING 10-30
    Percent Recovery 80
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK WITH LITTLE WATER
    Rock Characteristics MULTIPLE SYSTEMS OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING
    Mine Support Chars. POST, HEADBOARD, CAPS, ROOF BOLTS
    Length of Inclines (m) 1580
    Slope of Inclines 11
    Number of Inclines 2
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 832
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 14.32
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 250
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1992

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

    RANKIN, G. "CHROMIUM AND FERROCHROMIUM IN SOUTH AFRICA,"

  • Reserve-Resource

    SAUNDERS AND TAYLOR. JOHANNESBURG. 1975.

  • Deposit

    FOURTIE,G.P.1959.THE CROMITE DEPOSITS IN THE RUSTENBURG

  • Deposit

    AREA. BULL.27.SOUTH AFRICAN GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

  • Deposit

    RANKIN,G.1975.CHROMIUM AND FEROCHROMIUM IN S. AFRICA.

  • Deposit

    SAUNDERS AND TAYLOR,INC.INVESTMENT INDUSTRY REPORT.

  • Deposit

    JOHANNESBURG,S.A.PP.1-117.

  • Deposit

    RANKIN,G. "CHROMIUM AND FERROCHROMIUM IN SOUTH AFRICA."

  • Deposit

    SAUNDERS AND TAYLOR.JOHANNESBURG. 1975.

  • Deposit

    SILK, M.H. 1988 "WORLD CHROMITE RESOURCESAND FERROCHROMIUM

  • Deposit

    PRODUCTION". MINTEK SPECIAL PUBLICATION NO. 11. 1988.

  • Deposit

    GOLDER ASSOC. 1981 "DEPOSIT PROFILE, GROENFONTEIN/CONSOL-

  • Deposit

    IDATED CHROME, SOUTH AFRICA". FOR USBM AUG 1981.

  • Deposit

    DAVIDOFF, R.L., AND BOYLE, E.H., JR., 1988 "NOTES FROM

  • Deposit

    VISIT TO THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA". USBM 1988.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 19-AUG-1992 Boyle, Ed U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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