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East Driefontein

Producer in South Africa with commodities Gold, PGE, Silver, Sulfur-Pyrite, Uranium
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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. Alteration
  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. Land status
  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 10079046
MRDS ID W027861
Record type Site
Current site name East Driefontein

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 27.48479, -26.3966 (WGS84)
Elevation 1585
Relative position 9 KILOMETERS SOUTHEAST OF CARLETONVILLE; 11 KILOMETERS NORTH OF FOCHVILLE

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

South Africa(country)

Africa(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
South Africa

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
PGE Critical Secondary
Silver Secondary
Sulfur-Pyrite Tertiary
Uranium Tertiary

Comments on the commodity information

  • A HIGH GRADE GOLD PRODUCER. URANIUM RECOVERY POSSIBILITIES VERY LIMITED. OCCASIONALLY MATCHES WEST DRIEFONTEIN ANNUALLY AS SOUTH AFRICA'S HIGHEST GRADE GOLD PRODUCER. 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 PRODUCTION ENTRIES

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 Transvaal System Shales (Pretoria Series), Dolomite (Dolomite Series) And Conglomerates (Black Reef Series);Witwatersrand System (Upper Division)-Quartzite, Shales, Grits, Conglomerates And Carbon Granules
    Rock description Transvaal System Shales (Pretoria Series), Dolomite (Dolomite Series) And Conglomerates (Black Reef Series);Witwatersrand System (Upper Division)-Quartzite, Shales, Grits, Conglomerates And Carbon Granules
  • 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) 27.48479, -26.3966
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Unique Continuity Of Gold-Bearing Horizons Over Extended Area, Though Well Marked By Dikes, Faulting, Early Erosion And Redeposition Of Overlying Sediments. The Ventersdorp Contact Reef Unconformably Overlies The Carbon Leader Reef.
Type of structure Local
Structure description Gentle Dip With Faulting Locally, And Minor Folding. Intrusive Dikes Penetrate And Dilute Minable Ore Horizons. Overlying Lavas And Dolomites Are Massive.

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR/BLANKET
    Strike E - W
    Dip 22 DEG. S
    Thickness 1.3M
    Depth to top 1000M
    Depth to bottom 2200M

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
Discovery year 1932
Discoverer Dr. R. Krahmann, West Witwatersrand Areas Ltd
Year of first production 1972

Mining district

District name Far West Rand (West Wits Line) Of Witwatersrand Goldfields

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner East Driefontein Gold Mining Co. Ltd.
  • Type Owner
    Owner Gold Fields Of South Africa Ltd.

Production statistics

  • Year 1977
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.630 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Gold Gold 1g/mt
  • Year 1977
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.749 Toz Au Met Ton Of Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 1g/mt
  • Year 1978
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.423 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1978
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.402 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1979
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.486 Toz Au/Mt Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1979
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.677 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 1g/mt
  • Year 1980
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.402 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1980
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.394 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1981
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.315 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1981
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.324 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1986
    Period 1986
    Material ORE
    Description Cp_Grade: ^0.286 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore - Carbon Leader.
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1986
    Period 1986
    Material ORE
    Description Cp_Grade: ^ And Main Reef 0.177 T02 Au/Met Ton Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt

Comments on the production information

  • FIRST PRODUCTION AT EAST DRIEFONTEIN: APRIL 1972 . PYRITE AND SULFURIC ACID NOT CURRENTLY RECOVERED.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Name VENTERSDORP REEF
    Estimate year 1986
    Total resources 7355000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 18.195 g/mt Gold Major 1986

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA - 1986 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1984 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1985 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS-1986

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 2200M

Comments on the workings information

  • APPROX. MAXIMUM DEVELOPMENT DEPTH DOWN-DIP ON VENTERSDORP CONTACT REEF. AT NO. 1 SUB-VERTICAL SHAFT, THE MAIN REEF OCCURS ABOUT 100 METERS BELOW VENTERSDORP CONTACT REEF FOLLOWED BY THE CARBON LEADER REEF 210 METERS BELOW VENTERSDORP CONTACT REEF

Comments on development

  • TOTAL$: 164.9 ; MILL.CAP: 1.4 MIL. MET. T/YR. ; ECON.YEAR: 1972 ; ECON.COM: A MODERN AND SOPHISTICATED MINING OPERATION WITH SOUTH AFRICA'S LOWEST OPERATING COSTS IN GOLD ($37.84/TROY OUNCE OF GOLD RECOVERED; 1977). MINE OPERATES FROM THREE HORIZONS (REEFS): CARBON LEADER REEF, VENTERSDORP CONTACT REEF AND MAIN REEF. URANIUM RECOVERY POSSIBILITIES LIMITED.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, FIFTH EDITION, HANDBOOK 7 ; 1976

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    GOLD FIELDS OF SOUTH AFRICA LIMITED, ANNUAL REPORTS 1972 - 1976

  • Deposit

    EAST DRIEFONTEIN, 1976, ANNUAL REPORT.

  • Deposit

    EAST DRIEFONTEIN, 1975, ANNUAL REPORT.

  • Deposit

    EAST DRIEFONTEIN, 1974, ANNUAL REPORT.

  • Deposit

    EAST DRIEFONTEIN, 1973, ANNUAL REPORT.

  • Deposit

    EAST DRIEFONTEIN, 1972, ANNUAL REPORT.

  • Deposit

    IVOR JONES, ROY & COMPANY, INC.,SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD SHARES: JOHANNESBURG, IVOR JONES, ROY & COMPANY, INC.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, 1975, V. 19, NO. 1, MAY 1975.

  • Production

    CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1984 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1985 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS-1986 ; CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA - ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1981 ; CHAMBER OF MINES-ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS-1982 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1983 ; ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA. JANUARY - DECEMBER 1979 ; ANALYSES OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA - 1980 ; ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA. JANUARY - DECEMBER 1978

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit MAX THICKNESS REFERS TO STOPING WIDTH OF THE PRINCIPAL MINING HORIZON (VENTERSDORP CONTACT REEF). THE UNDERLYING MAIN REEF VARIES FROM 0.3 - 1.5 METERS AND THE BASAL REEF, WHEN PRESENT (CARBON LEADER REEF), IS 0.3 METERS IN THICKNESS. OLD EROSIONAL CHANNEL ELIMINATES CARBON LEADER REEF NORTH OF NO. 1 SUB-VERTICAL SHAFT. DEPTH TO TOP IS UP-DIP SUB-CONTACT OF VENTERSDORP CONTACT REEF NORTH OF "AUXILIARY" SHAFT. DEPTH TO BOTTOM IS APPROX. MAXIMUM DEVELOPMENT DEPTH OF VENTERSDORP CONTACT REEF DOWN-DIP (SOUTH OF NO. 1 SUB-VERTICAL SHAFT).
Deposit INFORMATION MERGED FROM RECORD NUMBER W028690 ; W028723 ; W030957 ; W032317 ; W032941 ; W033078 ; W033765 ; W044633 ; W055266

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-MAR-1978 Sweetwood, Charles W. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1987 Mccarter, Lorna D 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-1982 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State
Updater 01-JUN-1984 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1983 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State
Updater 01-JUN-1985 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-MAR-1986 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-JUN-1987 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State

Beyond USGS

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

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