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Vlakfontein Mine

Producer in South Africa with commodities Gold, PGE, Silver, Uranium
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Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10079044
MRDS ID W027857
Record type Site
Current site name Vlakfontein Mine
Related records 10305020, 10142346

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 28.40145, -26.32993 (WGS84)
Elevation 1615
Relative position 6 KILOMETERS SOUTHWEST OF SPRINGS; 24 KILOMETERS SOUTHEAST OF GERMISTON
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Geographic areas

Country
South Africa

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
PGE Secondary
Silver Secondary
Uranium Tertiary

Comments on the commodity information

  • URANIUM HAS NEVER BEEN RECOVERED AT THIS MINE, AND RECORDS DO NOT LIST ITS PRESENCE. SOUTH AFRICAN LAND AND EXPLORATION COMPANY (RECORD NO. W014844) IS LOCATED ADJACENT TO VLAKFONTEIN, HOWEVER, AND OPERATES FROM THE SAME GOLD ORE HORIZON; THE MAIN REEF LEADER---KNOWN TO CONTAIN URANIUM IN LIMITED QUANTITIES. URANIUM RECOVERIES FROM VLAKFONTEIN TAILINGS DAMS ARE THUS OF POTENTIAL FUTURE ECONOMIC INTEREST. 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.

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-Dolomite;Witwatersrand System (Upper Division)-Quartzite, Shales, Grits, Conglomerates, And Carbon Granules
    Rock description Transvaal System-Dolomite;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
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic)

Nearby scientific data

(1) 28.40145, -26.32993
ListMap

Geologic structures

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

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR/BLANKET
    Strike NW - SE
    Dip 10 DEG. SW
    Thickness 0.05M
    Depth to bottom 1500M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Gentle Uplift Of Continental Mass; Erosion; Peneplanation; Folding; Faulting; Volcanicity; And Build-Up Of Younger Sediments. Gold Values Range Erratically From High To Low.

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Medium
Significant No
Discovery method Ore-Mineral In Place
Year of first production 1942

Mining district

District name East Rand Basin Of The Witwatersrand Goldfields

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

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

Production statistics

  • Year 1977
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.096 Toz Au /Met Ton Of Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1977
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.039 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1978
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.042 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1978
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.039 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1979
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.039 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1979
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.035 Toz Au/Mt Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1980
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.039 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: ^0.039 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: ^0.039 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1981
    Material AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.039 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1986
    Period 1942-1986
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Cp_Grade: ^0.284 To2 Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt

Comments on the production information

  • UNDERGROUND PRODUCTION OF ORE TERMINATED NOVEMBER 1977 ; PRODUCTION WAS DERIVED FROM VLAKFONTEIN'S ROCK DUMP AND MATERIAL PURCHASED OUTSIDE. ; PRODUCTION FROM SURFACE DUMPS AND OUTSIDE PURCHASES. ; PRODUCTION INCLUDES SURFACE DUMPS (388,123 METRIC TONS) AND OUTSIDE SOURCES (343,877 METRIC TONS) ; ROCK AND GOLD-BEARING SAND PURCHASED FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES CONSTITUTED 57% OF THE TOTAL TONNAGE MILLED.

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • DEVELOPED AND BLOCKED ORE RESERVES - NONE. MINE IS PHASING OUT.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 1500M

Comments on the workings information

  • DEPTH BELOW SURFACE ESTIMATED. CROSSECTIONAL DATA OF WORKINGS NOT AVAILABLE. DEPLETION OF ORE (MAIN REEF), WATER ENCROACHMENT FROM ADJACENT MINES AND LABOR INTENSIVE MINING METHODS COMBINED TO FORCE TERMINATION OF UNDERGROUND OPERATIONS IN NOVEMBER 1977

Comments on development

  • EXPLORATION AND UNDERGROUND DEVELOPMENT HAVE BEEN TERMINATED AT THIS MINE. FINAL CLEAN-UP AND RE-WORKING OF DUMPS, ONLY, CURRENTLY BEING CONDUCTED. ; TOTAL$: 4.6 ; MILL.CAP: 0.7 MIL. MET. T/YR. ; ECON.YEAR: 1942 ; ECON.COM: A LOW GRADE GOLD PRODUCER WITH MODERATELY HIGH OPERATING COSTS ($107.09 /TROY OUNCE OF GOLD RECOVERED; 1977). ECONOMICALLY RECOVERABLE ORE DEPLETED. UNDERGROUND MINING TERMINATED IN NOVEMBER 1977. RE-WORKING OF DUMPS AND CLEAN-UP LIMITS OVERALL OPERATING LIFE TO TWO YEARS.

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS W027857

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    GOLD FIELDS OF SOUTH AFRICA LIMITED, ANNUAL REPORTS, 1973 - 1977

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    VLAKFONTEIN GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED, 1977, ANNUAL REPORTS.^253^VLAKFONTEIN GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED, 1976, ANNUAL REPORTS.^253 VLAKFONTEIN GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED, 1975, ANNUAL REPORTS.^253 VLAKFONTEIN GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED, 1974

  • Production

    COMPANY ANNUAL REPORTS ; VLAKFONTEIN ANNUAL REPORT - 1984 ; VLAKFONTEIN ANNUAL REPORT - 1985 ; COMPANY ANNUAL REPORT-1986 ; CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA - ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1981 ; GOLDFIELDS OF SOUTH AFRICA LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT-1982 ; GOLD FIELDS OF SOUTH AFRICA LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT - 1983 ; VLAKFONTEIN GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 1979 ; VLAKFONTEIN GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 1980 ; VLAKFONTEIN GOLD MINING COMPANY LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 1978

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit MAX. THICKNESS REFERS TO MAIN REEF ORE HORIZON ONLY. DEPTH TO BOTTOM ESTIMATED. DEPTH TO TOP NOT AVAILABLE. SIZE OF DEPOSIT ESTIMATED ON BASIS OF ORIGINAL ORE RESERVES. ECONOMICALLY RECOVERABLE ORES NOW DEPLETED.
Deposit INFORMATION MERGED FROM RECORD NUMBER W028686 ; W028749 ; W030944 ; W032348 ; W032957 ; W033167 ; W033793 ; W044608 ; W055294

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-MAY-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-JUL-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-APR-1986 Mccarter, Lorna D Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1987 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State