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Tsumeb Mine

Producer in Namibia with commodities Lead, Zinc, Copper, Silver, Germanium, Cadmium
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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. Host and associated rocks
  8. Nearby scientific data
  9. Ore body information
  10. Controls for ore emplacement
  11. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  12. Ownership information
  13. Production statistics
  14. Reserves and resources
  15. Workings at the site
  16. Links to other databases
  17. Bibliographic references
  18. General comments
  19. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10089357
MRDS ID W018950
Record type Site
Current site name Tsumeb Mine

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 18.01814, -19.24704 (WGS84)
Relative position 500 KM NE OF SWAKOPMUND.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Namibia(country)

Africa(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
Namibia

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Lead Primary
Zinc Critical Primary
Copper Primary
Silver Secondary
Germanium Critical Secondary
Cadmium Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Bornite Ore
Chalcocite Ore
Digenite Ore
Enargite Ore
Galena Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Dolomite Gangue
Quartz Gangue

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Dolomite
    Rock unit name Otavi Dolomite
    Rock description Otavi Dolomite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic

Nearby scientific data

(1) 18.01814, -19.24704
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • General form PIPE

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Interrupted Circular Fracturing, Core Breccia, Internal Mass Of Pseudo - Aplite (Tsumer Pipe)

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Both
Deposit size Large
Significant No
Year of first production 1907

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Tsumeb Corp. Ltd.

Production statistics

  • Year 1975
    Material ORE
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^4.27 % Cu, 9.73 % Pb, 2.47 % Zn, Tsumeb
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Zinc Zinc 2wt-pct
    Minor Ore Lead Lead 10wt-pct
    Minor Ore Copper Copper 4wt-pct

Comments on the production information

  • CUMULATIVE PRODUCTION WAS ESTIMATED FROM MILL CAPACITY FOR TSUMEB, KOMBAT. TSUMEB PRODUCES GERMANIUM CONCENTRATE.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Name TSUMEB
    Estimate year 1973
    Demonstrated 5000000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Lead Pb 8.52 wt-pct Lead Major 1973
    Zinc Zn 2.15 wt-pct Zinc Major 1973
    Copper Cu 4.68 wt-pct Copper Major 1973
  • Type In-situ
    Name TSUMEB
    Estimate year 1973
    Total resources 2600000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Lead Pb 1.87 wt-pct Lead Major 1973
    Zinc Zn 0.78 wt-pct Zinc Major 1973
    Copper Cu 2.33 wt-pct Copper Major 1973
  • Type In-situ
    Name TSUMEB
    Estimate year 1973
    Total resources 1800000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Lead Pb 4.61 wt-pct Lead Major 1973
    Zinc Zn 1.69 wt-pct Zinc Major 1973
    Copper Cu 3.76 wt-pct Copper Major 1973

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 1000M

Comments on development

  • MILL.CAP: 1210 MET TONS ; ECON.YEAR: 1973 ; ECON.COM: TSUMEB - 2000 MTPD. KOMBAT 40,000 MTPM MILL

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    PELLETIER, R. A., 1964, MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH CENTRAL AFRICA; OXFORD U. PRESS, CAPE TOWN, P. 126 - 129

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING, 1976, JUNE 25, P. 156.

  • Deposit

    MINING ACTIVTIES DIGEST, 1976, MAY 7, P. 13.

  • Deposit

    SKINNERS MINING INTERNATIONAL YEARBOOK, 1975, P. 551.

  • Production

    WORLD MINING 6-25-76 P. 156. MINING ACT. DIGEST 5-7-76 P. 13

  • Reserve-Resource

    SKINNERS, 1975

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit TSUMEB PIPE IS ABOUT 120 X 15 M IN CROSS SECTION, STEEPLY DIPPING AND EXTENDING FROM THE SURFACE TO AT LEAST 1000 M DEPTH.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-JAN-1977 Schruben, Paul G. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-FEB-1988 Orris, Greta J. U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

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

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