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  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

Sishen

Producer in South Africa with commodity 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. Nearby scientific data
  8. Ore body information
  9. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  10. Ownership information
  11. Reserves and resources
  12. Workings at the site
  13. Links to other databases
  14. Bibliographic references
  15. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10280368
MRDS ID W027877
MAS/MILS ID 7910050001
Record type Site
Current site name Sishen
Related records 10079056

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: 22.98153, -27.7666 (WGS84)
Location accuracy 1000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

South Africa(country)

Africa(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
South Africa

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Iron Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chert Unknown
Clay Unknown
Hematite Unknown
Magnetite Unknown
Quartz Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) 22.98153, -27.7666
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Thickness 600M
    Length 50000M
    Width 2000M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Primary Ore Control FOLDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. SLIGHT
    Date of Last Modification 860708

Comments on the geologic information

  • THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF ORE WHICH ARE FOUND IN THIS AREA: CONGLOMERATIC ORE IN THE SISHEN SHALE; SECONDARILY ENRICHED LAMINATED ORE, ALSO IN THE SISHEN SHALE; AND SECONDARILY ENRICHED ORE WITHIN THE IRON FORMATION IN THE UNDERLYING DOLOMITE. THE PALING, MARTHASPOORT AND SISHEN MEMBERS MAKE UP THE GAMAGARA FORMATION. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE IRON FORMATIONS WERE FORMED BY CHEMICAL PRECIPITATION IN A MARINE ENVIRONMENT.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant Yes
Year of first production 1953

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Iscor
    Year 1982
  • Type Owner
    Owner South African Government
    Interest 100
    Year 1982

Comments on the production information

  • THE FINAL PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION IS AS FOLLOWS: EUROPE 42%, JAPAN 28% AND DOMESTIC 30%.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1981
    Measured 1300000000mt ore
    Indicated 2700000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 4000000000mt ore
    Total resources 4000000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Iron Fe 65.5999 wt-pct Iron Major 1981
    Iron Fe 65.5999 wt-pct Iron Major 1981
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1993
    Demonstrated 989900000mt ore
    Total resources 989900000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Iron Fe 64 wt-pct Iron Major 1993

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • TOTAL RESERVES ARE ESTIMATED AT 4,000,000,000 METRIC TONS. THE RESERVES FOR OPEN PIT MINING ARE ESTIMATED AT 1,400 MILLION METRIC TONS AND RESERVES FOR UNDERGROUND MINING ARE ESTIMATED AT 2,600 MILLION METRIC TONS.
  • RESERVE TONNAGE IS OPEN-PITABLE AS OF 1974, AVG. GRADE IS ESTIMA 85% OF ORE GRADES 66-69.5% FE, 11% GRADES 63-65% FE, 4% GRADES 6 PROBABLE AND INFERRED TONNAGE AN ADDITIONAL 2,560,000,000 MT IN SITU OW: ISCOR (GOVT). OW/OP: SOUTH AFRICAN IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRIAL CORP.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 1151HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Percent Waste Rock 71
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 12
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 45
    Capacity 104200
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 3.47
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 240
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1982

Comments on other economic factors

  • THE MINE REQUIRES CONTINUOUS PUMPING TO MAINTAIN OPERATIONS WITHOUT FLOODING.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

    AME MINERAL ECONOMICS QUARTERLY MINE ANALYSIS, JUN 93,P. 36.

  • Deposit

    E&MJ, ISCOR'S SISHEN GROWS AND GROWS, NOVEMBER, 1982,

  • Deposit

    PP 122-127.

  • Deposit

    STRAUSS, C.A., THE IRON ORE DEPOSITS IN THE SISHEN AREA,

  • Deposit

    CAPE PROVINCE, SOME ORE DEPOSITS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA, V II,

  • Deposit

    1964, PP 393-400.

  • Deposit

    SALDANHA-SISHEN PROGRESS REPORT, CONSTRUCTION IN S.A. AND

  • Deposit

    COAL, GOLD & BASE MINERALS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA, AUGUST,

  • Deposit

    1974, PP 19-45.

  • Deposit

    COETZEE, J.P., ISCOR: SOUTH AFRICA'S STEEL GIANT, METAL

  • Deposit

    BULLETIN MONTHLY, APRIL, 1978, PP 121-123.

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE, SALSANHA BAY-OUTLET FOR SISHEN'S IRON ORE,

  • Deposit

    MAY, 1973, PP 357-365.

  • Deposit

    S.A. MINING & ENGINEERING JOURNAL, PRODUCTION RECORDS TUMBLE

  • Deposit

    AT SISHEN IRON ORE MINE, APRIL, 1980, PP 55-73.

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING, ENERGY SAVING IDEAS FOR OPEN PIT MINING, JUNE,

  • Deposit

    1981, PP 84-87.

  • Deposit

    CHADWICK, J.R., TROLLEY ASSISTED TRUCKS AT SISHEN IRON ORE

  • Deposit

    MINE, WORLD MINING, MARCH, 1981, PP 48-49.

  • Deposit

    BEUKES, N.J., PRECAMBRIAN IRON-FORMATIONS OF SOUTHERN

  • Deposit

    AFRICA, ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, VOL. 68, 1973, PP 960-1004.

  • Deposit

    AME MINING QUARTERLY JUNE 1994 P C183

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 11-JAN-1995 Bolis 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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