1. Mineral Resources
  2. Online Spatial Data
  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

E.R.P.M. Mine

Producer in South Africa with commodities Gold, PGE, Silver, Sulfur-Pyrite, Uranium
Map
XML
JSON
KML
B

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10079050
MRDS ID W027866
Record type Site
Current site name E.R.P.M. Mine
Related records 10159070

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 28.21812, -26.22993 (WGS84)
Elevation 1646
Relative position ADJACENT TO (WEST OF) THE CITY OF BOKSBURG
(click for info)

Geographic areas

Country
South Africa

Commodities

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

Comments on the commodity information

  • URANIUM CONTENTS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE OF ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE. PYRITE (FOR SULFURIC ACID) NOT CURRENTLY RECOVERED. 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-Dolomite;Witwatersrand System (Upper Division)-Quartzites, Shales, Grits, Conglomerates And Carbon Granules
    Rock description Transvaal System-Dolomite;Witwatersrand System (Upper Division)-Quartzites, 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) 28.21812, -26.22993
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 E - W
    Dip 25 DEG. S.
    Thickness 2.4M
    Depth to bottom 3444M

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 Large
Significant No
Discovery year 1890
Discoverer H.F. Syndicate
Discovery method Ore-Mineral In Place
Year of first production 1894

Mining district

District name East Rand Basin Of The Witwatersrand Goldfields

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner East Rand Propietary Mines Ltd.
  • Type Owner
    Owner Rand Mines Ltd. (Barlow Rand Ltd.)

Production statistics

  • Year 1977
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.199 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: ^0.164 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: ^0.127 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: ^0.142 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: ^0.177 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: ^0.159 Toz Au/Met Ton 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: ^0.130 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: ^0.122 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: ^0.117 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: ^0.109 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Gold Gold 0g/mt
  • Year 1986
    Period 1986
    Material ORE
    Description Cp_Grade: ^0.215 Toz Au/Met Ton Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 0g/mt

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • 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

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 3444M

Comments on the workings information

  • DEPTH BELOW SURFACE REFERS TO DEEPEST WORKINGS DOWN - DIP ON MAIN REEF.

Comments on development

  • YEAR OF DISCOVERY APPROXIMATE. E.R.P.M. ACQUIRED THE INTERESTS OF H.F. SYNDICATE (DRIEFONTEIN, ST. ANGELO, NEW COMET, AGNES MUNRO, CINDERELLA, NEW BLUE SKY AND LEEUPOORT GOLD MINES) IN MAY 1893 ; MILL.CAP: 3.0 MIL. MET. T/YR. ; ECON.YEAR: 1960 ; ECON.COM: SECOND DEEPEST MINE IN THE WORLD ( LED BY WESTERN DEEP LEVELS, RECORD NO. W014843 ). A LOW GRADE GOLD PRODUCER WITH HIGH OPERATING COSTS ($179.95 /TROY OUNCE OF GOLD RECOVERED; 1977 ). ESTIMATED MINE LIFE: QUESTIONABLE, GIVEN OPERATING COSTS & CURRENT GOLD PRICE. MINE PLANNERS, HOWEVER, CLAIM 10 YEARS ON BASIS OF ORE RESERVES.

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS W027866

Bibliographic references

  • 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

    SOUTH AFRICAN MINING & ENGINEERING JOURNAL, JANUARY 1973

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    SOUTH AFRICAN MINING AND ENGINEERING JOURNAL, 1973, SOUTH AFRICAN MINING AND ENGINEERING JOURNAL, JANUARY 1973.

  • Deposit

    E.R.P.M. BROCHURE, 1963.*503 IVOR JONES, ROY & COMPANY, INC., SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD SHARES: JOHANNESBURG, IVOR JONES, ROY & COMPANY, INC.

  • Deposit

    BARLOW RAND LIMITED, 1976, ANNUAL REPORTS.

  • Deposit

    BARLOW RAND LIMITED, 1975, ANNUAL REPORTS.

  • Production

    CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1985 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS-1986 ; CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA LIMITED - ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1981 ; CHAMBER OF MINES-ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS-1982 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1983 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - JUNE 30, 1985 ; 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 CHARACTERISTIC UNIQUE TO THIS MINE AREA IS THAT OVER 12.8 KILOMETER EAST - WEST STRIKE, CONTINUOUS CHANGE TAKES PLACE IN THE MAIN REEF GROUP OF ORE-BEARING HORIZONS. ON THE WEST THERE ARE NUMEROUS REEF BANDS WHICH GRADUALLY MERGE EASTWARDS INTO A SINGLE, OR COMPOSITE, REEF WHICH IS SYNONYMOUS WITH THE MAIN REEF LEADER OF THE EAST RAND BASIN.
Deposit INFORMATION MERGED FROM RECORD NUMBER W028694 ; W028740 ; W030771 ; W032324 ; W032945 ; W033104 ; W033770 ; W044623 ; W055270
Deposit MAX. THICKNESS REFERS TO MAIN REEF ONLY. CONFORMS ALSO TO STOPING WIDTH. ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPANY MINES THE MAIN REEF LEADER ( 0.0 - 1.0 METER THICK ) SOUTH REEF ( 1.0 METER ) AND COMPOSITE REEF ( 0.5 - 1.0 METER ). IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN AREAS OF MINE, COMPOSITE REEF IS UNCONFORMABLE AMAL GAMATION OF THE OTHER REEFS. MINING HAS BEEN FROM SURFACE OUTCROP DOWN-DIP TO CURRENT WORKING LEVELS (DEPTH TO TOP, THEREFORE, IS NOT APPLICABLE).

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