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Western Holdingsfreegold North

Plant in Free State, South Africa with commodities Gold, Silver, Sulfur, 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. Nearby scientific data
  8. Ore body information
  9. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  10. Mining district
  11. Mineral rights holdings
  12. Ownership information
  13. Production statistics
  14. Workings at the site
  15. Links to other databases
  16. Bibliographic references
  17. General comments
  18. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10191297
MRDS ID W014846
MAS/MILS ID 7910150005
Record type Site
Current site name Western Holdingsfreegold North
Alternate or previous names Western Holdings
Related records 10280180, 10304882, 10089217

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Claim
Geographic coordinates: 26.68479, -27.96325 (WGS84)
Elevation 1350
Location accuracy 1000(meters)

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
Silver Secondary
Sulfur Secondary
Uranium Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Gold Unknown
Pyrite Unknown
Quartz Unknown
Silver Unknown
Uraninite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Claim (1) 26.68479, -27.96325
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N30W
    Dip 20E
    Thickness 1.5M
    Depth to top 1150M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 STRATIFORM
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Primary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Strike And Dip N30W:20E
    Minimum Depth to Top 600
    Date of Last Modification 851105
  • Strike N30W
    Dip 20E
    Thickness 1.9M
    Depth to top 1150M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 2
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 STRATIFORM
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Primary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Strike And Dip N30W:20E
    Minimum Depth to Top 600
    Date of Last Modification 851105
  • Area 3100HA
    Field Value
    Total Surface Area (HA) 3100
    Date of Last Modification 910418

Comments on the geologic information

  • BASAL REEF IS AT THE BASE OF THE UPPER DIVISION OF THE WITWATERSRAND SYSTEM.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Both
Deposit size Medium
Significant No
Discovery year 1947
Year of first production 1953
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Solvent Extraction-Electrowin
Milling method Hydrometallurgy Unspecified

Mining district

District name Orange Free State Gold Fields

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Federal Lease

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Western Holdings Ltd.
    Interest 100
    Home office South Africa
    Year 1982
  • Type Owner
    Owner Anglo American Corp. Of South Africa, Ltd.
    Home office South Africa
    Year 1982

Comments on the ownership information

  • WESTERN HOLDINGS LTD. AND W. HOLDINGS COMPLEX ARE ADMINISTERED BY ANGLO AMERICAN CORP. OF SOUTH AFRICA

Production statistics

  • Year 1976
    Description 2974000 Mt Ore Milled/Yr
  • Year 1977
    Description 3092999 Mt Ore Milled/Yr
  • Year 1978
    Description 3133000 Mt Ore Milled/Yr
  • Year 1979
    Description 3153999 Mt Ore Milled/Yr
  • Year 1980
    Description 3297000 Mt Ore Milled/Yr
  • Year 1981
    Description 3380000 Mt Ore Milled/Yr

Comments on the production information

  • MINING LEASE GRANTED IN 1947. FIRST GOLD BAR POURED FOR WESTERN HOLDINGS LTD. OPERATION IN 1953. IN CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION SINCE.

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • G-REC 1 = BASAL REEF MATERIAL = Q-MAT 1. G-REC 2 = LEADER REEF MATERIAL = Q-MAT 2 (LOCATED JUST ABOVE, 35-50 M, THE BASAL REEF).
  • FORMERLY, SEQ.NO. WAS FOR WELKOM MINE. NOW IS FOR THE WESTERN HOLDINGS MINE OF THE "NORTH COMPLEX" OF FREEGOLD. WAS UPDATED FOR THE 1992 AU AVAILABILITY STUDY AS PART OF FREE STATE GEDULD (FREE GOLD NORTH)--SEQ.NO. 791-015-0001.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 1200M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method BREAST STOPING 10-30
    Percent Waste Rock 4.7
    Percent Recovery 100
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK FISSURED WITH MODERATE WATER
    Rock Characteristics MULTIPLE SYSTEMS OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING
    Mine Support Chars. POST, HEADBOARD, CAPS, ROOF BOLTS
    Number of Shafts 4
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 9714
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 37.04
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 350
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1982
  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 1200M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 2
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method BREAST STOPING 10-30
    Percent Waste Rock 4.7
    Percent Recovery 100
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK FISSURED WITH MODERATE WATER
    Rock Characteristics MULTIPLE SYSTEMS OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING
    Mine Support Chars. POST, HEADBOARD, CAPS, ROOF BOLTS
    Number of Shafts 4
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 5314
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 37.04
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 350
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1982

Comments on other economic factors

  • THE WESTERN HOLDINGS MILL IS LOCATED AT THE NO. 1 SHAFT. MILL OP. COST = WEIGHTED AVERAGE FOR ALL 4 PROPERTIES IN THE WESTERN HOLDINGS COMPLEX.
  • THE FACT THAT THE 4 OPERATIONS WERE COMBINED INTO ONE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS MEANS THAT THE MINE AND MILL OP. COSTS IN THE I DATA SET ARE WEIGHTED AVERAGES FOR THE COMBINED OPERATIONS AND THE DEVEL.,MINE EQUIP., MINE PLANT, MILL P&E, WORKING CAP., AND INFRASTRUCTURE CAPITAL COSTS SHOWN IN THE I DATA SET ARE THE COMBINED VALUES FOR THE ENTIRE WESTERN HOLDINGS COMPLEX. ALL CAPITAL COSTS INCURRED PRIOR TO 1982 ARE NOT SHOWN BECAUSE SOUTH AFRICAN TAX LAWS ALLOW WRITE-OFF OF ALL CAPITAL COSTS IN THE YEAR INCURRED.
  • ORE HOISTED FROM NO. 2 AND NO. 3 SHAFTS IS RAILED BY SURFACE TRAIN TO MILL AT NO. 1 SHAFT. ORE FROM THE NO. 4 SHAFT AREA IS TRANSPORTED BY UG RAIL TO NO. 1 SHAFT FOR HOISTING.
  • AS OF 1982, THE WESTERN HOLDINGS LTD. OPERATION CONSISTS OF A 3,100 HA MINING LEASE AREA, SPLIT INTO 4 SHAFT SYSTEM AREAS (NO. 1, NO. 2, NO. 3, AND NO. 4). MINE OP. COST = WEIGHTED AVERAGE FOR ALL 4 PROPERTIES IN THE WESTERN HOLDINGS COMPLEX.
  • DEV. REC. 1 = OPERATING W. HOLDINGS MILL AT 1981/1982 DESIGN CAPACITY OF 3,400,000 MTPY THRU 1987. DEV. REC. 2 = CUT IN USE OF W. HOLDINGS MILL TO ONLY 1,860,000 MTPY WHEN ERFDEEL-DANBAANHEID SECTION COMES INTO PRODUCTION.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Geology

    ANHAEUSSER, C.R. 1976, THE NATURE AND DISTRIBUTION OF

  • Geology

    ARCHAEN GOLD MINERALIZATION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA. MINERALS

  • Geology

    SCI. ENGNG., V. 8, NO. 1, PP. 46-84.

  • Geology

    BOYLE, R.W. 1979, THE GEOCHEMISTRY OF GOLD AND IT'S

  • Geology

    DEPOSITS. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA, BULL. 280, 584 PP.

  • Geology

    HAUGHTON, S.H., ED. 1964A, THE GEOLOGY OF SOME ORE

  • Geology

    DEPOSITS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA. V. 1, GOLD DEPOSITS OF THE

  • Geology

    WITWATERSRAND BASIN. GEOL. SOC. S. AFRICA, JOHANNESBURG,

  • Geology

    625 PP.

  • Geology

    LIEBENBERG, W.R. 1972, MINERALOGICAL FEATURES OF GOLD

  • Geology

    ORES IN SOUTH AFRICA. PUBLISHED IN GOLD METALLURGY IN SOUTH

  • Geology

    AFRICA, EDITED BY R.J. ADAMSON. CHAMBER OF MINES OF S. AFR.

  • Geology

    MINTER, U.E.L. 1976, DETRITAL GOLD, URANIUM, AND PYRITE

  • Geology

    CONCENTRATIONS PILATED TO SEDIMENTOLOGY IN THE PRECAMBRIAN

  • Geology

    VAAL REEF PLACER, WITWATERSRAND, SOUTH AFRICA. ECONOMIC

  • Geology

    GEOLOGY, V. 71, PP. 157-176.

  • Geology

    PRETORIUS, D.A. 1981, GOLD AND URANIUM IN QUARTZ-PEBBLE

  • Geology

    CONGLOMERATES. ECONOMIC GEOLOGY 75TH ANNIVERSARY VOLUME,

  • Geology

    PP. 117-138.

  • Geology

    PRETORIUS, D.A. 1975, THE DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENT OF

  • Geology

    THE WITWATERSRAND GOLDFIELDS. A CHRONOLOGICAL REVIEW OF

  • Geology

    SPECULATIONS AND OBSERVATIONS. MIN. SCI. ENGNG., V. 7,

  • Geology

    NO. 1, PP. 18-47.

  • Geology

    SMITH, N.D., AND W.E.L. MINTER. 1980, SEDIMENTOLOGICAL

  • Geology

    CONTROLS OF GOLD AND URANIUM IN TWO WITWATERSRAND PALEO-

  • Geology

    PLACERS. ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, V. 75, PP. 1-14.

  • Production

    ADAMSON, R.J. (ED.). 1972, GOLD METALLURGY IN SOUTH

  • Production

    AFRICA, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA, 452 PP.

  • Production

    FINANCIAL TIMES. 1981, MINING INTERNATIONAL YEARBOOK

  • Production

    (SELECTED EXCERPTS).

  • Production

    KING, A.. 1949, GOLD METALLURGY ON THE WITWATERSRAND.

  • Production

    TRANSVAAL CHAMBER OF MINES, 458 PP.

  • Production

    MCQUISTON, F.W. AND R.S. SHOEMAKER. 1975, GOLD AND

  • Production

    SILVER CYANIDATION PLANT PRACTICE. SOCIETY OF MINING ENG.

  • Deposit

    CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA, 1981, RAND REFINERY,

  • Deposit

    P.R.D. SERIES NO. 255, 20PP.

  • Deposit

    CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA, 1980, GOLD IN SOUTH

  • Deposit

    AFRICA, P.R.D. SERIES NO. 241, 28PP.

  • Deposit

    CHAMBER OF MINES, 1980, OVERVIEW OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN

  • Deposit

    MINING INDUSTRY.

  • Deposit

    ELEVATORSKI, E.A. 1981, GOLD MINES OF THE WORLD.

  • Deposit

    PUBLISHED BY MINOBRAS, PP. 78-86.

  • Deposit

    POTTS, D. 1981, THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD MINING INDUSTRY,

  • Deposit

    1981. PUBLISHED BY CONSOLIDATED GOLD FIELDS, LTD., PP.17-85.

  • Deposit

    GOLD INSTITUTE. 1981, GOLD REGULATIONS AND TAXES FOR

  • Deposit

    MINING, REFINING, MANUFACTURING AND TRADE IN THIRTEEN

  • Deposit

    COUNTRIES. PP. 74-79.

  • Deposit

    CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 1982, ANALYSIS OF

  • Deposit

    WORKING RESULTS, OCTOBER-DECEMBER, 1981, 8 PP.

  • Deposit

    CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 1981, 91ST ANNUAL

  • Deposit

    REPORT AND STATISTICAL TABLES. 116 PP.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL RESEARCH SERVICES. 1982, PRODUCTION AND

  • Deposit

    CAPITAL EXPENDITURES FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD MINES, 1966-

  • Deposit

    1981.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL RESEARCH SERVICES. 1982, SUMMARY REPORT

  • Deposit

    OF PRODUCTION AND RECOVERY FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD MINES,

  • Deposit

    1966-1981.

  • Deposit

    MOHIDE, T.F. 1981, GOLD MINERAL POLICY BACKGROUND PAPER

  • Deposit

    NO. 12. ONTARIO MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES, PP. 84-112.

  • Deposit

    STORRAR, C.D. 1981, SOUTH AFRICAN MINE VALUATION.

  • Deposit

    CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA, 470 PP.

  • Deposit

    ANNUAL REPORTS-WESTERN HOLDINGS LTD.,1975,1976,1978,1981.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL - QUARTERLY REVIEW OF SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD

  • Deposit

    SHARES, "FREE STATE JOINT METALLURGICAL SCHEME, NOV. 1981,

  • Deposit

    P. 11.

  • Deposit

    SHARES, EXCERPTS FROM 2/80 - 2/82.

  • Deposit

    SOUTH AFRICAN MINING & ENGNG. JOURNAL. WESTERN HOLDING -

  • Deposit

    GOOD PROGRESS WITH SLIMES FILLING. JULY 1981, PP. 42-67.

  • Deposit

    COAL GOLD & BASE MINERALS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA. WESTERN

  • Deposit

    HOLDINGS TESTS WALKING BARRICADES. NOV. 1977, PP. 17-23.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit ON JULY 1, 1981 WESTERN HOLDINGS LTD. MINING OPERATION WAS CONSOLIDATED WITH THE WELKOM OPERATIONS (SEQ. NO. 791-015-0008) AND FREE STATE SAAIPLAAS OPERATIONS (SEQ. NO. 791-015-0002) TO FORM A CONSOLIDATED OPERATION CALLED "THE WESTERN HOLDINGS COMPLEX". THIS CONSOLIDATED CORPORATION WILL ALSO DEVELOP THE ERFDEEL-DANKBAANHEID SECTION (SEQ. NO. 791-015-0020), TO THE NORTH OF FREE STATE SAAIPLAAS. THESE FOUR PROPERTIES - WESTERN HOLDINGS, WELKOM, FREE STATE SAAIPLAAS AND ERFDEEL-DANKBAANHEID - WERE ALL COMBINED INTO ONE "ETD" ANALYSIS AS A CONSOLIDATED OPERATION. FOR LABOR DATA SET: 1981 LABOR FIGURES FOR WESTERN HOLDINGS LTD. WERE CONSOLIDATED WITH ALL OF THE OTHER WESTERN HOLDINGS COMPLEX OPERATIONS IN THE 1981 ANNUAL REPORT. IN 1978, AT 3,113,000 MT MILLED, PERSONNEL USED WERE: WHITES, UNDERGROUND = 518 WHITES, SURFACE = 351 WHITES, OTHER = 151 BLACKS, UNDERGROUND = 8,036 BLACKS, SURFACE = 1,892 BLACKS, OTHER = 894 TOTAL =11,842

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 14-DEC-1994 Boyle, Ed U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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

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