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

Free State Saaiplaas

Producer in Free State, South Africa with commodities Gold, Uranium, PGE, Silver
Map
XML
JSON
KML
A
Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Alteration
  8. Mineral occurrence model information
  9. Host and associated rocks
  10. Nearby scientific data
  11. Geologic structures
  12. Ore body information
  13. Controls for ore emplacement
  14. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  15. Mining district
  16. Ownership information
  17. Production statistics
  18. Reserves and resources
  19. Workings at the site
  20. Links to other databases
  21. Bibliographic references
  22. General comments
  23. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10071449
MRDS ID W014847
Record type Site
Current site name Free State Saaiplaas
Related records 10281401

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 26.83482, -27.97988 (WGS84)
Elevation 1344
Relative position 6 KILOMETERS SOUTHEAST OF THE CITY OF WELKOM

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Free State(province)

South Africa(country)

Africa(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
South Africa Free State

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Uranium Secondary
PGE Critical Secondary
Silver Secondary

Comments on the commodity information

  • URANIUM IN SLIMES HAS BEEN STOCKPILED AT THE MINE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF OPERATIONS IN 1961. URANIUM RECOVERIES WILL BE ACTIVATED IN 1977, FROM CURRENT AND ACCUMULATED SLIMES. SMALL QUANTITIES PT AND AG RECOVERED BUT UNIMPORTANT IN SOUTH AFRICA TERMS. PT IS AN IMPURITY IN GOLD AND IS RECOVERED AT THE RAND REFINERY AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE PURIFICATION PROCESS.

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Gold Ore

Alteration

  • (Local) None

Analytical data

Result SEE ENTRIES UNDER PRODUCTION AND RESERVES

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 193
USGS model code 29a
Deposit model name Quartz pebble conglomerate Au-U (BC name is Paleoplacer U-Au-PGE-Sn-Ti

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic)
    Rock unit name Ventersdorp System-Lava
    Rock description Ventersdorp System-Lava
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Metasedimentary Rock > Quartzite
    Rock unit name Upper Elsburg Conglomerates And Quartzites;Karroo System Conglomerates And Shales
    Rock description Upper Elsburg Conglomerates And Quartzites;Karroo System Conglomerates And Shales
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Shale
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Conglomerate

Nearby scientific data

(1) 26.83482, -27.97988
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Unique Continuity Of Gold - Bearing Horizons Over Extended Area, Though Well Marked By Faulting, Folding And (Locally) Erosion And Redeposition Of Overlying Sediments.
Type of structure Local
Structure description Gentle Dip Regionally, With Folds And Faults Locally. Overlying Lavas, Quartzites And Conglomerates Are Massive

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR/BLANKET
    Dip 5 DEG. NW
    Thickness 0.15M
    Length 2150M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Gentle Uplift Of Continental Mass; Erosion, Peneplanation; Folding; Faulting, Volcanicity, Dike Injection And Build - Up Of Younger Sediments

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant No
Year of first production 1961

Mining district

District name Orange Free State Area Of The Witwatersrand Goldfields

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Ownership Distribution:
  • Type Owner
    Owner President Brand Gold Mining Co. Ltd.
    Interest 100
  • Type Owner
    Owner Interest In Free State Saaiplaas Gold Mining Companies.
    Interest 100
  • Type Owner
    Owner Anglo American Responsible For Management
    Interest 100
  • Type Operator
    Owner President Brand Gold Mining Co. Ltd.

Production statistics

  • Year 1977
    Material U
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.112 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Gold Gold 112g/mt
  • Year 1977
    Material ORE
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.110 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 110g/mt
  • Year 1977
    Material ORE
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.130 Kg U3o8/Met. Ton Treated
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    U3O8 Ore Uranium Uranium 130g/mt
  • Year 1979
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.083 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 83g/mt
  • Year 1980
    Period 1961-1980
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Cp_Grade: ^0.272 Toz Au/Met Ton Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 272g/mt

Comments on the production information

  • PRODUCTION IS INCLUDED IN WESTERN HOLDINGS - RECORD NO. W014846 ; SEE COMMODITY COMMENTS ABOVE ; ORE VOLUMES TREATED FOR U3O8 ARE INCLUDED IN (AND ARE PART OF) TOTAL ORE VOLUMES MILLED U3O8 PRODUCTION NOT RELATED TO ANGLO AMERICAN O.F.S. JOINT METALLURGICAL PRODUCTION SCHEME.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1980
    Total resources 2478000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 5.411 g/mt Gold Major 1980

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • FULLY DEVELOPED & BLOCKED OUT ORE ONLY. PROBABLE & POSSIBLE RESERVES NOT INCLUDED.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 2150M

Comments on the workings information

  • EXPANSION PLANS INCLUDE NEW SHAFT TO DEPTH OF 2,225 METERS AND THUS FROM 3 SHAFTS A HOISTING CAPACITY OF 2.25 MILLION TONS OF ORE ANNUALLY (BY 1979). TOTAL COST OF PLANNED EXPANSION: $93.2 MILLION. MINING METHODS: SELECTED "SCATTER" MINING (STOPING AND BACKFILLING WITH CRIB TIMBER SUPPORT AND PILLARS) AS REQUIRED, AND MODIFIED LONGWALL WHERE POSSIBLE IN FAULT-FREE AREAS.

Comments on development

  • EXPAN$: 13.8 (1976) ; MILL.CAP: 1.7 MIL. MET. T/YR. 1972 ; ECON.COM: A LOW GRADE AND POTENTIAL URANIUM PRODUCER WITH COSTS AT $198.23/TROY OUNCE OF GOLD RECOVERED (1976). CURRENT RECOVERIES ARE FROM ONE ORE HORIZON (REEF) ONLY (THE BASAL REEF). ALL OTHERS APPEAR TO BE UNECONOMIC. URANIUM RECOVERIES, TO BEGIN IN 1977, WILL PROLONG MINE LIFE TO POSSIBLY 20 YEARS.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    ANGLO AMERICAN CORPORATION OF SOUTH AFRICA LIMITED: ANNUAL REPORTS: 1974 & 1975

  • Deposit

    COAL, GOLD & BASE MINERALS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA; MARCH 1975

  • Deposit

    PRESIDENT BRAND GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED; ANNUAL REPORT; 1975

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD SHARES; IVOR JONES, ROY AND CO., INC., JOHANNESBURG; 1975 MINING JOURNAL QUARTERLY REVIEW OF SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD SHARES, VOL. 19, NO. 1; MAY 197

  • Production

    ANALYSES OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA, 1980 ; ANALYSES OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA - 1980 ; ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA, JANUARY-DECEMBER 1978 ; ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA. JANUARY DECEMBER 1979 ; ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA, JANUARY-DECEMBER 1977

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit MAX THICKNESS REFERS TO BASAL REEF ORE HORIZON ONLY
Deposit INFORMATION MERGED FROM RECORD NUMBER W028251 ; W028683 ; W028733 ; W030766 ; W044654

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-FEB-1977 Sweetwood, Charles W. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1981 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State
Updater 01-OCT-1978 Sweetwood, Charles W. Department of State
Updater 01-APR-1980 Sweetwood, Charles W. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1981 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State
Updater 01-AUG-1983 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State

Beyond USGS

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

Maps centered on this site