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Waterkloof

Plant in South Africa with commodities Chromium, 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. Nearby scientific data
  7. Ore body information
  8. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  9. Mining district
  10. Ownership information
  11. Production statistics
  12. Workings at the site
  13. Links to other databases
  14. Bibliographic references
  15. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10264019
MRDS ID W028407
MAS/MILS ID 7910200044
Record type Site
Current site name Waterkloof
Alternate or previous names Waterkloof Mine
Related records 10079235

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: 27.27085, -25.69103 (WGS84)
Elevation 1000
Location accuracy 500(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

  • LOCATED AT FARM WATERKLOOF 305 J.Q. (FARM DIVIDED BETWEEN WATERKLOOF MINE AND MILLSELL MINE MINE) PLUS WATERVAL 306 TO FARM. SMALL PRODUCER: 1975 PROD. OF 70,000 MT PRODUCT EXPECT BY 1980 OF 100,000 MTPY PRODUCT. 1 INCLINED SHAFT WITH CONVEYOR BELT HAULAGE. FINES PRODUCED IN MILL USING HUMPHREY SPIRALS FOR GRAV. CONC. 35% PROD. IS LUMP ORE (42%CR2O3) 65% OF PROD. IS FINE CONC. (45% CR2O3). CONC. AND LUMP ORE TRUCKED TO RUSTENBURG STATION, RAILED FOR EXPORT TO GERMANY. EVALUATED 9/13/82

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Chromium Critical Primary
Iron Tertiary

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) 27.27085, -25.69103
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N60W
    Dip 12E
    Thickness 0.9M
    Length 2300M
    Width 1220M
    Depth to top 125M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 OTHER
    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 N60W:12E
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 3
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Date of Last Modification 830712
  • Strike N60W
    Dip 11E
    Thickness 1.4M
    Length 3300M
    Width 1275M
    Depth to top 0M
    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
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 SILICIFICATION
    Strike And Dip N60W:11E
    Minimum Depth to Top 150
    Date of Last Modification 930520

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Medium
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1937
Mining method Open Stope - Breast Stoping
Year of first production 1965
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Gravity
Milling method Gravity

Mining district

District name West Bushveld Complex

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Waterkloof Chrome Mines (Pty) Ltd.
    Home office South Africa
    Year 1989
  • Type Owner
    Owner Samancor / Gencor Ltd.
    Interest 100
    Home office South Africa
    Year 1989

Comments on the ownership information

  • WATERKLOOF CHROME MINE (PTY) LTD. IS A DIVISION OF METALLURG CORP. OF THE U.S.

Production statistics

  • Year 1976
    Period 1974-1976
    Description Annual Production 1974-1976 70000 Mt Prod. / Year
  • Year 1977
    Description Annual Production 1977 90000 Mt Prod. / Year
  • Year 1978
    Description Annual Production 1978 100000 Mt Prod. / Year
  • Year 1980
    Period 1979-1980
    Description Annual Production 1979-1980 120000 Mt Prod. / Year
  • Year 1981
    Description Annual Production 1981 100000 Mt Prod. / Year
  • Year 1982
    Description Annual Production 1982 0 Mt Prod. / Year
  • Year 1983
    Description Annual Production 1983 85000 Mt Prod. / Year
  • Year 1984
    Description Annual Production 1984 100000 Mt Prod. / Year

Comments on the production information

  • DEPENDING ON THE MARKET LARGER OR SMALLER AMOUNTS OF LUMP ORE, CHROME CONCENTRATE, OR CHROME SAND ARE PRODUCED
  • IN ACTUALITY, THREE PRODUCTS ARE PRODUCED DEPENDING UPON DEMAND; LUMP ORE, FINES 44% CR2O3 LESS THAN 3% SIO2, AND CONC. 46% CR2O3 LESS THAN 1.5% SIO2. PB AS CODED IS INTENDED TO REFLECT A COMPOSIT OF THE FINES/CONC. PRODUCTION.

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • 1/89 INSITU DEMO.TONNAGE= 1.1 M LG6 SEAM + .3 M WASTE + .3 M LG6A SEAM TO 243 M VERT.(BOUNDARY LIMIT). 70% REC.,DIP= 11 DEG
  • STARTED PROD.IN 1964, PLACED ON CARE& MAINTENANCE FROM SOMETIME IN 1982 UNTIL APRIL 1983 WHEN PRODUCTION RESUMED. AS OF 1989 IS A COMPLETELY MECHANIZED OPERATION INCLUDING DRILLING MACHINES. FOR ANALYSIS: 220,000 MTPY ROM FOR: 50,000 MTPY LUMP AT 42.0 % CR2O3 AND 110,000 MTPY CONCS. AT 46.0 PCT CR2O3.
  • Q-MATRIX 1 TONNAGES REPRESENT ESTIMATE OF ORE AVAILABLE FROM ONE SEAM (LG6) OVER 2 FARMS-ENTIRE STRIKE LENGTH ON WATERVAL 306 JQ AND WATERKLOOF 305 JQ. COL 1 AND COL 2 REPRESENT THE EST. IN-SITU AND RECOVERABLE TONNAGES RESPECTIVELY. 75 % PROB. LEVEL REPRESENTS EST. TO VERT. DEPTH OF 250 M

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 0M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method BREAST STOPING 10-30
    Percent Waste Rock 0
    Percent Recovery 80
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK WITH LITTLE WATER
    Rock Characteristics ONE SYSTEM OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING MAY BACK SLAB
    Mine Support Chars. POST, HEADBOARD, CAPS, ROOF BOLTS
    Length of Inclines (m) 500
    Slope of Inclines 12
    Number of Inclines 1
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 583
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 19
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 300
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1981

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    FOURIE, G P,1959, "THE CHROMITE DEPOSITS IN THE RUSTENBERG

  • Deposit

    AREA", SOUTH AFRICAN GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, BULL.27.

  • Deposit

    RANKIN G., 1975, "CHROMIUM AND FERROCHROMIUM IN SOUTH

  • Deposit

    AFRICA", SAUNDERS AND TAYLOR,INC.INVESTMENT INDUSTRY

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    SIEMS P, 1976, "CHROMITE MINES AND RESOURCES IN THE

  • Deposit

    REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA", MINERALS AVAIL. SYSTEM.

  • Deposit

    DEC. 1976, P21-23.

  • Deposit

    GOLDER AND ASSOC., 1981, "DEPOSIT PROFILE - WATERKLOOF,

  • Deposit

    TRANSVAAL, SOUTH AFRICA".

  • Deposit

    SILK M H, 1988, "WORLD CHROMITE RESOURCES AND FERROCHROMIUM

  • Deposit

    PRODUCTION". MINTEK SPECIAL PUBL. NO. 11.

  • Deposit

    ANON, 1988, "WATERKLOOF MINE DEMONSTRATES ENTREPENUERSHIP".

  • Deposit

    DAVIDOFF R L, BOYLE E H JR., 1988, "NOTES FROM VISIT TO THE

  • Deposit

    REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA", USBM.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 20-MAY-93 Boyle, Ed U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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

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