1. Mineral Resources
  2. Online Spatial Data
  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

Northam Platinum

Plant in South Africa with commodities Copper, Gold, Nickel, Iridium, Osmium, Palladium, Platinum, Rhodium, Ruthenium
Map
XML
JSON
KML
B
Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Nearby scientific data
  7. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  8. Mineral rights holdings
  9. Ownership information
  10. Production statistics
  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 10305195
MAS/MILS ID 7910200006
Record type Site
Current site name Northam Platinum
Alternate or previous names Northam, Gold Field of South Africa Gfsa

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: 27.34454, -24.82167 (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
Copper Secondary
Gold Secondary
Nickel Critical Secondary
Iridium Critical Tertiary
Osmium Tertiary
Palladium Critical Tertiary
Platinum Critical Primary
Rhodium Critical Tertiary
Ruthenium Critical Tertiary

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) 27.34454, -24.82167
ListMap

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1981
Mining method Filled Stopes - Horiz Cut and Fill W/Tailings
Year of first production 1991
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Flotation
Milling method Flotation

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights State Lease
Type of mineral rights State Lease

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Northam Platinum Ltd
    Home office South Africa
    Year 1986
  • Type Owner
    Owner Gold Field Of South Africa
    Interest 78
    Home office South Africa
    Year 1986
  • Type Owner
    Owner Consolidated Gold
    Interest 12.7
    Home office South Africa
    Year 1986
  • Type Owner
    Owner Original Syndicate
    Interest 9.3
    Home office South Africa
    Year 1986

Production statistics

  • Year 1991
    Ore mined 600000mt
    Description Mine Output 600000 Mt/Yr
  • Year 1991
    Ore mined 2725815.76g
    Description Platinum Production 87637 Ozs/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Platinum PGE 2725815.76g

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1987
    Measured 59507000mt ore
    Demonstrated 59507000mt ore
    Total resources 59507000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Platinum Pt 6.075 g/mt PGE Major 1987
    Palladium Pd 2.07 g/mt PGE Trace 1987
    Iridium Ir 0.04 g/mt PGE Trace 1987
    Osmium Os 0.01 g/mt PGE Trace 1987
    Rhodium Rh 0.495 g/mt PGE Trace 1987
    Ruthenium Ru 0.18 g/mt PGE Trace 1987
    Gold Au 0.225 g/mt Gold Minor 1987
    Nickel Ni 0.18 wt-pct Nickel Minor 1987
    Copper Cu 0.081 wt-pct Copper Minor 1987
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1993
    Indicated 65000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 65000000mt ore
    Total resources 65000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Platinum Pt 7.64 g/mt PGE Major 1993

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • FROM Pt COMMODITY SPECIALIST: NORTHAM PLATINUM COMPRISED OF 10,314 HACTARES COVERING MERENSKY REEF AND UG2 REEF. ESTIMATED RESOURCES: MERENSKY REEF TO THE DEPTH OF 2700 M AT 163 MILLION MT GRADING 10.1 G/T PGM. UG2 REEF ABOUT 20-40 M BELOW THE MERENSKY REEF HAS 319 MILLION MT GRADING 6.6 G/T PGM.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 14940M
    Overall depth 2145M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method LONGWALL
    Percent Recovery 90
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK WITH LITTLE WATER
    Rock Characteristics NO PLANES OF WEAKNESS
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING
    Mine Support Chars. POST, HEADBOARD, CAPS, ROOF BOLTS
    Number of Shafts 2
    Capacity 6000
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 39.57
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 300
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1989

Comments on other economic factors

  • NORTHAM PLATINUM LTD WILL HAVE SMELTER AND REFINERY ON SITE.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

    METALS WEEK, P. 5 (JAN. 11, 1993).

  • Deposit

    NORTHAM PLATINUM GOES, INTERNATIONAL MINING VOL3 NO.9 SEP/86

  • Deposit

    TODD, JOAN C. EDITOR, E&MJ, AUGUST, 1983.

  • Deposit

    MINING /INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX PLANNED FOR BUSHVELD SITE,

  • Deposit

    S.A. MINING, COAL, GOLD AND BASE INERALS, AUGUST 1986.

  • Deposit

    FOCUS ON AUGUST, SUPPLEMENT TO MINING JOURNAL, PG.17.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 22-DEC-1994 Minerals Availability Field Office (Mafo) U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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

Maps centered on this site