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Waterkloof Chrome Mine

Producer in South Africa with commodities Chromium, PGE, Iron, Silica
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Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10079235
MRDS ID W028407
Record type Site
Current site name Waterkloof Chrome Mine
Related records 10264019

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 27.28478, -25.7133 (WGS84)
Elevation 1212
Relative position 8 KILOMETERS SOUTHEAST OF THE TOWN OF RUSTENBURG
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Geographic areas

Country
South Africa

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Chromium Primary
PGE Secondary
Iron Secondary
Silica Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chromite Ore
Magnetite Ore
Anorthosite Gangue
Chalcopyrite Gangue
Pentlandite Gangue
Pyrrhotite Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Surface And Near-Surface Alteration Of Feldspathic Materials Only.

Analytical data

Result LUMP ORE: SIZE: 177MM+12MM
Result CR2O3 40.0%, SIO2 7.5%, AL2O3 16.0%, CAO 0.4%, MGO 11.0%, FEO 25.0%, CR:FE 1.5:1. CONCENTRATES: CR2O3 45.0%, SIO2 2.0%, AL2O3 16.0%, CAO 0.4%, MGO 11.0%, FEO 22.0%, CR:FE 1.5:1

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock
    Rock unit name Bushveld Igneous Complex (Including The Overlying Merensky Reef)
    Rock description Bushveld Igneous Complex (Including The Overlying Merensky Reef)
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Pliocene
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock > Gabbro

Nearby scientific data

(1) 27.28478, -25.7133
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Geologic structures

Type Description Terms
Regional Inward-Dipping Cone-Like Structure; Folding And Faulting (Including Low-Angle Thrusting) Exists, But Are Of Minor Importance; Erosion, Peneplanation And Build-Up Of Younger Sediments Are Basic Criteria Regionally.
Local The Area'S Upper, Middle And Lower Chrome Groups (Underlying The Merensky Reef) Are Extraordinarily Uniform As To Composition And Thickness. Faults And Folds, Locally, Are Of Minor Importance Only. Seam Undulations, However, Are Common And Thus Present Localized (Albeit Moderate) Changes In The Dip.

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR/BLANKET
    Strike NW - SE
    Dip 10 DEG NE
    Thickness 0.9M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • The Various Components Of The Bushveld Igneous Complex Have Been Emplaced In Successive Eruptions As Sheet-Like Masses Into The Pretoria Series Volcanics (Transvaal System), And In Some Cases Into One Another, Dipping Inward Toward The Center Giving A Cone-Like Structure To The Complex As A Whole.

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

Mining district

District name Rustenburg (Western) Belt; Bushveld Igneous Complex

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Waterkloof Chrome Mines (Pty) Ltd
  • Type Owner
    Owner Metallurg, Inc. And Metallurg Alloy Corp.

Production statistics

  • Year 1978
    Material ORE CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^40% Cr2o3 (Approximately)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Cr2O3 Chromium Chromium 40wt-pct
  • Year 1978
    Material CON CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^45% Cr2o3 (Approximately)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Cr2O3 Conc. Chromium Chromium 45wt-pct
  • Year 1979
    Material ORE CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^40% Cr2o3 (Approximately)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Cr2O3 Chromium Chromium 40wt-pct
  • Year 1979
    Material CON CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^45% Cr2o3 (Approximately)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Cr2O3 Conc. Chromium Chromium 45wt-pct
  • Year 1980
    Material ORE CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^40% Cr2o3 Approximately
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Cr2O3 Chromium Chromium 40wt-pct
  • Year 1980
    Material CON CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^45% Cr2o3 Approximately
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Cr2O3 Conc. Chromium Chromium 45wt-pct
  • Year 1981
    Period 1974-1981
    Material ORE CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Cp_Grade: ^40 % Cr2o3 Approx
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Cr2O3 Chromium Chromium 40wt-pct
  • Year 1981
    Period 1974-1981
    Material CON CR
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Cp_Grade: ^45 % Cr2o3 Approx
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Cr2O3 Conc. Chromium Chromium 45wt-pct

Comments on the production information

  • FIRST YEAR OF PRODUCTION NOT KNOWN, AND ESTIMATES PRIOR TO 1974 ARE NOT POSSIBLE. ; NO PRODUCTION DATA AVAILABLE SINCE 1981

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1975
    Total resources 308,000,000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Chromium Cr2O3 40 wt-pct Chromium Major 1975

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • INDICATED RESERVES TO A VERTICAL DEPTH OF 370 METERS.

Comments on the workings information

  • SEE DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSIT COMMENTS. MINING IS BY DEVELOPMENT DRIFTS AND INCLINES (WINZES) IN ORE TO CREATE MODIFIED ROOM AND PILLAR METHOD. BROKEN ORE IS MOVED DOWNWARD INTO ORE PASSES BY SLUSHER AND HAND-TRAMMED TO LOADING POINTS FOR CONVEYOR HOISTING TO THE SURFACE. ONE SUB-SURFACE-TO-SURFACE INCLINE, ONLY, IS OPERATED AT THIS MINE. WASTE IS BACK-FILLED UNDERGROUND. SURFACE ORE STORAGE IS LIMITED TO 150 TONS CAPACITY. CONCENTRATION IS BY LIMITED-CAPACITY BALL MILL, CLASSIFIERS, SCREENS AND SPIRALS.

Comments on development

  • MILL.CAP: 0.2 MIL. MET. T/YR ; ECON.COM: EXPORT ORIENTED, WITH MARKETING IN BOTH METALLURGICAL GRADE LUMP ORE AND CHEMICAL GRADE CONCENTRATES (AS SAND). OUTLOOK FAVORABLE FOR AN ECONOMIC OPERATION OVER A LONG RANGE MINE LIFE (AT CURRENT PRODUCTION LEVEL, AND GREATER).

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS W028407

Bibliographic references

  • Analytical Data

    SRC.REF: FERROUS AND NONFERROUS MINES AND WORKS IN SOUTH AFRICA; MINERALS BUREAU; DIRECTORY NO. 3/79

  • Deposit

    MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, FIFTH EDITION, HANDBOOK 7, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DEPARTMENT OF MINES; 1976.

  • Deposit

    CHROMITE MINES AND RESOURCES IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA; UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO FOR M.A.S., US BUREAU OF MINES; SIEMS, P., CRIST, E. M., AND SHEEHAN, L. E. JR.; 1976 .

  • Deposit

    MARKETING DIRECTORY NO. 2 , FERROUS AND NONFERROUS METALS AND MINERALS IN SOUTH AFRICA; MINERALS BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF MINES; 1977 .

  • Deposit

    OPERATING MINES IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA; MINERALS BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF MINES, DIRECTORY NO. 1/79; 1979 .

  • Deposit

    "THE CHROMITE DEPOSITS IN THE RUSTENBURG AREA"; DEPARTMENT OF MINES, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY; BULLETIN 27; FOURIE, G. P.; 1959 "THE CHROMITE DEPOSITS OF THE BUSHVELD IGNEOUS COMPLEX". DEPARTMENT OF MINES, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY; KUPFERBURGER, W. AND LOMBAARD, B. V.; 1937

  • Production

    REPORTERS ESTIMATES BASED ON INDUSTRY INDICATORS AND OFFICIAL (MINERALS BUREAU) COUNTRY TOTALS ; REPORTER'S ESTIMATES BASED ON INDUSTRY INDICATORS AND OFFICIAL (MINERALS BUREAU) COUNTRY TOTALS ; REPORTERS ESTIMATES BASED ON INDUSTRY INDICATORS AND OFFICIAL (MINERALS BUREAU) DETAILED DATA ; REPORTER'S ESTIMATED BASED ON INDUSTRY INDICATORS AND OFFICIAL (MINERALS BUREAU) COUNTRY TOTALS

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit MAX. THICKNESS REFERS TO THE "MAIN SEAM" OF THE "LOWER CHROME GROUP" (THE ONLY CHROMITE HORIZON MINED AT THIS PROPERTY; THOUGH OTHERS OF THE LOWER GROUP EXIST IN THE AREA). DEPTHS TO TOP AND BOTTOM ARE NOT AVAILABLE.
Deposit INFORMATION MERGED FROM RECORD NUMBER W028903 ; W030787 ; W032255 ; W055322

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-AUG-1979 Sweetwood, Charles W. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1982 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-JUL-1982 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State
Updater 01-JUL-1987 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State