Annex Kleinzee Mine

Past Producer in Eastern Cape, South Africa with commodity Diamond
Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Alteration
  7. Mineral occurrence model information
  8. Host and associated rocks
  9. Nearby scientific data
  10. Geologic structures
  11. Ore body information
  12. Controls for ore emplacement
  13. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  14. Mining district
  15. Ownership information
  16. Production statistics
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. General comments
  20. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10071394
MRDS ID W014762
Record type Site
Current site name Annex Kleinzee Mine

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 17.0516, -29.6466 (WGS84)
Relative position IN VICINITY OF THE TOWN OF KLEINZEE; 76 KILOMETERS WEST OF THE O'OKIEP COPPER MINE AND PLANT (NEAR SPRINGBOK, NAMAQUALAND)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Eastern Cape(province)

South Africa(country)

Africa(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
South Africa Eastern Cape

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Diamond Primary

Alteration

  • (Local) None

Analytical data

Result DIAMOND RECOVERIES CURRENTLY RANGE BETWEEN 0.206 - 0.213 CARATS PER TON OF "TERRACE" MATERIAL TREATED. GEM DIAMONDS COMPRISE AN ESTIMATED 90 PERCENT OF RECOVERIES: INDUSTRIAL DIAMONDS 10 PERCENT.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 122
USGS model code 39d
Deposit model name Diamond placer

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Unconsolidated Deposit > Sand and Gravel
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Cretaceous
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Pliocene
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Pliocene
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Limestone

Nearby scientific data

(1) 17.0516, -29.6466

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Tertiary - To - Recent Beach Sands; Unconsolidated
Type of structure Local
Structure description Diamondiferous Terraces In Tertiary Beach Sands

Ore body information

  • General form IRREGULAR
    Dip 0 - 2 DEG.
    Thickness 1.5M
    Length 300000M
    Width 500M
    Depth to top 12M
    Depth to bottom 13.5M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Beach Sands With Concentrations Of Transported And Redeposited Diamonds.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Non-metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant No
Discovery year 1925
Discoverer W. Carstens
Year of first production 1925

Mining district

District name Namaqualand Alluvial Diamond Deposits

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Namaqualand Division Mines Ltd.
  • Type Owner
    Owner De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd.

Production statistics

  • Year 1975
    Material OVB DIA
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^Industrial Diamonds: 10 %, Gem Diamonds: 90 %
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Diamond Gemstones 100wt-pct
  • Year 1979
    Period 1972 - 1979
    Material OVB
    Description Cp_Grade: ^ Gem Diamonds: 90%
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Diamond Gemstones 90wt-pct
  • Year 1980
    Period 1972-1980
    Material DIA
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Cp_Grade: ^Industrial Diamonds: 10%
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Diamond Gemstones 10wt-pct

Comments on the production information

  • PRODUCTION INCLUDED UNDER NAMAQUAL?ND ALLUVIAL DIAMOND DEPOSITS FROM 1981. ; PRODUCTION FOR THIS MINE WILL, FROM NOW ON, BE INCLUDED IN NAMAQUALAND DIVISION MINES. ; OVERBURDEN STRIPPED FOR 1980 IS NOT AVAILABLE

Comments on the workings information

  • OPEN PIT MINING, USING DIESEL - POWERED SCRAPERS, DOZERS AND FRONT END LOADERS; PITS LOCATED 120 METERS SEAWARD OF HIGH TIDE LEVEL, AND 20 METERS BELOW IT; PITS PROTECTED BY SEAWALLS COMPRISED OF OVERBURDEN AND DEWATERINGPUMPS; AVERAGE PIT MEASUREMENTS: 300 X 300 METERS PER SINGLE MINING AREA.

Comments on development

  • OPERATIONS WERE SUSPENDED IN 1986. ; MILL.CAP: 2.5 MIL. MET. T/YR. 1974 ; ECON.COM: LARGE SCALE OPEN PIT MINING PLAN IN TERRACE ALLUVIUM UNDERLYING BEACH SANDS. 3-SHIFT OPERATION DAILY (6 DAYS/WEEK). ONE OF WORLD'S LARGEST SOURCES OF GEM DIAMONDS. OVERBURDEN TO ORE RATIO: MAXIMUM 4:1.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    INTERNATIONAL DIAMOND ANNUAL; WILSON, A. N.; VOL. 1, 1971

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE; OCTOBER 1976

  • Deposit

    MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH-CENTRAL AFRICA; PELLETIER, R. A.; 1964

  • Deposit

    DE BEERS CONSOLIDATED MINES LIMITED, ANNUAL REPORT.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING & MINING JOURNAL, 1975.

  • Deposit

    DEBEERS CONSOLIDATED MINES LIMITED, 1972, ANNUAL REPORT, NOVEMBER 1972.

  • Production

    DE BEERS CONSOLIDATED MINES LTD ANNUAL REPORTS ; DE BEERS CONSOLIDATED MINES LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 1978 ; DE BEERS CONSOLIDATED DIAMOND MINES LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 1979 ; DE BEERS CONSOLIDATED DIAMOND MINES LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 1980 ; DEBEERS CONSOLIDATED MINES LIMITED ANNUAL REPORTS: 1972 - 1977 ; DE BEERS CONSOLIDATED MINES LIMITED ANNUAL REPORTS: 1972 - 1976

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit FROM 1981, DE BEERS NOT REPORTING INDIVIDUAL MINE PRODUCTION FROM ITS ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS. THEREFORE, AS OF 1981, THE ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS PRODUCTION (INCLUDING THIS MINE) WILL BE GROUPED INTO ONE RECORD UNDER THE NAME OF 'NAMAQUALAND DIVISION MINES'
Deposit INFORMATION MERGED FROM RECORD NUMBER W027329 ; W028260 ; W028858 ; W028859 ; W030975 ; W033800
Deposit INTERMITTENT OCCURRENCES WITHIN 300 KM BELT ALONG WEST COAST OF SOUTH AFRICA (IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF SOUTHWEST AFRICA).

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-DEC-1976 Sweetwood, Charles W. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1985 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-AUG-1977 Sweetwood, Charles W. Department of State
Updater 01-OCT-1978 Sweetwood, Charles W. Department of State
Updater 01-MAY-1980 Sweetwood, Charles W. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1981 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1982 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State

Beyond USGS

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