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Prieska

Past Producer in South Africa with commodities Copper, Gold, Lead, Silver, Sulfur, Zinc
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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. Nearby scientific data
  8. Ore body information
  9. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  10. Mining district
  11. Mineral rights holdings
  12. Land status
  13. Ownership information
  14. Reserves and resources
  15. Workings at the site
  16. Links to other databases
  17. Bibliographic references
  18. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10159176
MRDS ID W018947
MAS/MILS ID 7910050015
Record type Site
Current site name Prieska
Alternate or previous names Volstruisbult, Vogelstruisbult Annex Occurence, Vogelstruisbult
Related records 10073116

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Claim
Geographic coordinates: 22.28487, -29.96323 (WGS84)
Elevation 1050
Location accuracy 1000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

South Africa(country)

Africa(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
South Africa

Comments on the location information

  • LOCATED 39 KM SSW OF FRASENHOF SIDING AND 60 KM SW OF CITY OF PRIESKA. LOCATED ON FARM VOGELSTRUISBULT NO.104.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Gold Secondary
Lead Tertiary
Silver Secondary
Sulfur Secondary
Zinc Critical Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Arsenopyrite Unknown
Biotite Unknown
Calcite Unknown
Chalcopyrite Unknown
Cordierite Unknown
Magnetite Unknown
Muscovite Unknown
Pyrite Unknown
Pyrrhotite Unknown
Quartz Unknown
Sphalerite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Claim (1) 22.28487, -29.96323
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N40W
    Dip 80E
    Thickness 10M
    Length 2000M
    Width 160M
    Depth to top 450M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 FISSURE VEIN
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 STOCKWORK
    Type of Orebody #3 DISSEMINATED
    Primary mode of Origin OTHER
    Primary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. MODERATE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 PROPYLITIC
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #2 SERICITIC
    Strike And Dip N40W:80E
    Minimum Depth to Top 85
    Date of Last Modification 820624

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Both
Significant No
Discovery year 1907
Year of first production 1973
Milling method Flotation

Mining district

District name Prieska District

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Unknown

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Prieska Copper Mines Ltd.
    Home office South Africa
  • Type Owner
    Owner Anglo Transvaal Consolidated Investment Co., Ltd.
    Interest 49
    Home office South Africa
  • Type Owner
    Owner U.S. Steel Corp.
    Interest 45
    Home office Pennsylvania
  • Type Owner
    Owner Outside Stockholders
    Interest 6

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1972
    Inferred 47000000mt ore
    Total resources 47000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Silver Ag 8 g/mt Silver Minor 1972
    Gold Au 0.4 g/mt Gold Minor 1972
    Lead Pb 0.76 wt-pct Lead Trace 1972
    Copper Cu 1.74 wt-pct Copper Major 1972
    Sulfur S 16 wt-pct Sulfur Minor 1972
    Zinc Zn 3.87 wt-pct Zinc Minor 1972
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1976
    Indicated 10412000mt ore
    Demonstrated 10412000mt ore
    Total resources 10412000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Silver Ag 8 g/mt Silver Minor 1976
    Gold Au 0.4 g/mt Gold Minor 1976
    Lead Pb 0.76 wt-pct Lead Trace 1976
    Copper Cu 1.1199 wt-pct Copper Major 1976
    Sulfur S 16 wt-pct Sulfur Minor 1976
    Zinc Zn 3.35 wt-pct Zinc Minor 1976

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • ANGLO TRANSVAAL CONS. INV. CO.36%,U.S.S.30%,MIDDLE WITWATERSRAND 34%.(OW) OTHER NAMES:VOLSTRUISBULT. OPERATOR: PRIESKA COPPER MINES LTD. PRIESKA CEASED OPERATIONS IN JAN. 1991 DUE TO DEPLEATED RESERVES.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 457M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method SUBLEVEL 10-43
    Percent Recovery 95
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK WITH LITTLE WATER
    Rock Characteristics NO PLANES OF WEAKNESS
    Rock Support Chars. UNKNOWN
    Mine Support Chars. POST, HEADBOARD, CAPS, ROOF BOLTS
    Number of Shafts 3
    Length of Inclines (m) 700
    Slope of Inclines 10
    Number of Inclines 1
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 8733
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 13.32
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 300
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1978

Comments on the workings information

  • WATER SUPPLY IS FROM 42 CM DIA., 60 KM LONG PIPELINE FROM ORANGE RIVER TO THE NORTH. (11,400,000 LITERS/DAY). POWER FOR EARLY DEVELOPMENT FROM DIESEL POWER PLANT, 7 MW POWER LINE FROM PRIESKA BY LATE 1970, 32 MW LINE FROM DE AAR (250 KM) COMPLETED BY ESCOM BY MAY 1973. 47 KM RAIL SPUR TO MINE WAS COMPLETED IN 1974. NEW ROAD FROM PRIESKA TO MINE WAS ALSO CONSTRUCTED (AT LEAST 60 KM).

Comments on other economic factors

  • SMALL AMOUNT OF CU CONCS. SOLD TO AMMI SPA OF ITALY-DO NOT KNOW FINAL DESTINATION OF CONCS.(LOC.OF SMELTER). ESTIMATE 50% OF CU CONCS. SENT TO NORDEUTSCHE AFFINIERIE (ASSUME HAMBURG). PYRITE CONCS. SOLD TO BUYERS WITHIN S.AFRICA (NAMES UNKNOWN).

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    DMA SERIES 1501 MAP, SHEET SH 34-7, SCALE 1:250,000.

  • Deposit

    ELECTRICITY SUPPLY COMISSION OF SOUTH AFRICA, 1977 ANNUAL

  • Deposit

    REPORT, SANDTON, 1978.

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING, FEB. 1972, PP.40-43.

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE, JAN. 1972, PP.41-45.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, MAY 1,1970, P.391.

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE, NOV. 1972, P.441.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, NOV.26,1971, P.476.

  • Deposit

    MIDDLETON,R.C. THE GEOLOGY OF PRIESKA COPPER MINES LIMITED.

  • Deposit

    ECON. GEOL. VOL. 71, 1976, PP. 328-350.

  • Deposit

    DE KOK, S.K. DIFFERENTIAL FLOTATION OF COPPER-ZINC AT

  • Deposit

    PRIESKA COPPER MINES (PTY) LIMITED: A PRELIMINARY REPORT.

  • Deposit

    JOURNAL OF THE S. AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF MINING AND METAL-

  • Deposit

    LURGY, JULY 1972, PP.305-307.

  • Deposit

    HOLZ,P. THE PRIESKA LIFT-OFF. S.A. MINING& ENGINEERING

  • Deposit

    JOURNAL, NOV. 1972, V.84, PP.11-17.

  • Deposit

    COAL GOLD AND BASE MINERALS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA, PRIESKA

  • Deposit

    COPPER MINE COMES ON STREAM. V.20, NOV.1972, PP.25-29.

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE, V.122, NO.4, APRIL 1970, P.251.

  • Deposit

    METAL BULLETIN MONTHLY. METALS IN AFRICA: PRIESKA'S POTENT-

  • Deposit

    IAL. MAY 1972, PP. 17-18.

  • Deposit

    E/MJ. NOV.1972, P.171.

  • Deposit

    GROBLER,M.S. AND P.J. CONSTANCON. TRACKLESS MINING AT

  • Deposit

    PRIESKA COPPER MINES (PROPRIETARY) LTD. JOURNAL OF THE

  • Deposit

    SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF MINING AND METALLURGY, AUG.

  • Deposit

    1973, PP. 25-37.

  • Deposit

    METALS SOURCEBOOK, APR.9,1973, ITEM A2017.

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING. SEPT. 1976, P.92.

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING. DEC. 1978, P.80.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, DEC. 12, 1969, P.535.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, NOV. 14,1969, P.443.

  • Deposit

    S.A. MINING& ENGINEERING JOURNAL, PRIESKA COPPER MINE, JAN.

  • Deposit

    1972, PP. 25-31.

  • Deposit

    PRIESKA COPPER MINES LTD. ANNUAL REPORT,1976.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, 11/18/83, P.370.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, 10/5/84, P.247.

  • Deposit

    INTERNATIONAL MINING, 12/86, P.68.

  • Deposit

    INTERNATIONAL MINING, 5/85, P.76.

  • Deposit

    INTERNATIONAL MINING, 1/86, P.46.

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE, 12/86, P.553.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, 9/18/87, P.222.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, 11/13/87, P.415.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS', 10/22/88, P.1.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, 1/89, P.19,126.

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING EQUIPMENT, 12/86, P.6.

  • Deposit

    INTERNATIONAL MINING, 12/88, P.52.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, 3/24/89, P.230.

  • Deposit

    STATE DEPARTMENT, TELEGRAM # 02110, JOHANNESBURG,

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS', 9/23/89, P.15.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, 10/89, P.69.

  • Deposit

    ANGLOVAAL, 1989 ANNUAL REPORT, P.25.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, 10/5/90, P.269.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS', 1/5/91, P.71.

  • Deposit

    MINING ENGINEERING, 2/91, P.195.

  • Deposit

    SUTTILL, KEITH R., BACK TO THE VELD, ENGINEERING AND MINING

  • Deposit

    JOURNAL, 2/91, P.27,28.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 04-JAN-95 Porter, Kenneth E. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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

Operator history (post-MRDS)

MRDS records operators as of each record's last update (≤ 2019). Some of the operators listed here have since changed hands or dissolved:

  • U.S. Steel Corp. — now part of United States Steel Corporation (2024)
    Mining operations largely divested over the late 20th century; the broader U.S. Steel entity was acquired by Nippon Steel in 2024 (mining footprint is now minimal).

Curated by qvyshift.com from publicly-reported M&A activity (SEC filings, press releases, USGS Mineral Yearbooks). Not authoritative — verify against primary sources before relying on it. The MSHA panel above is the current authoritative source for actively-permitted mines.

Maps centered on this site