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Witwatersrand Nigel

Producer in South Africa with commodities Gold, PGE, Osmium, Iridium, Ruthenium, Platinum, Rhodium, Silver, Cobalt, Uranium
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Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10089662
MRDS ID W027856
Record type Site
Current site name Witwatersrand Nigel
Related records 10304872

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 28.43478, -26.51326 (WGS84)
Elevation 1615
Relative position 5 KILOMETERS NORTHEAST OF HEIDELBERG; 10 KILOMETERS SOUTHWEST OF NIGEL
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Geographic areas

Country
South Africa

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
PGE Secondary
Osmium Secondary
Iridium Secondary
Ruthenium Secondary
Platinum Secondary
Rhodium Secondary
Silver Secondary
Cobalt Tertiary
Uranium Tertiary

Comments on the commodity information

  • 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
Chalcopyrite Ore
Galena Ore
Pyrite Ore
Pyrrhotite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Uraninite Ore

Alteration

  • (Local) None

Analytical data

Result COMPOSITION OF OSMIRIDIUM FROM THE WITWATERSRAND: PT = 12.8%, IR = 33.5%, OS = 37.8%, RU = 15.0%, RH = 0.7%.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 193
USGS model code 29a
BC deposit profile C04
Deposit model name Quartz pebble conglomerate Au-U (BC name is Paleoplacer U-Au-PGE-Sn-Ti

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)-Quartzities, Shales, Grits, Conglomerates, And Carbon Granules
    Rock description Transvaal System-Dolomite;Witwatersrand System (Upper Division)-Quartzities, 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) 28.43478, -26.51326
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; Volcancity; 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 1940

Mining district

District name East Rand Basin Of The Witwatersrand Goldfields

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Witwatersrand Nigel, Ltd
  • Type Owner
    Owner African Exploration Co. Ltd.

Production statistics

  • Year 1977
    Material ORE AU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.174 Toz Au /Met Ton Of Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 5g/mt
  • Year 1984
    Period 1984
    Material ORE AU
    Description Cp_Grade: ^0.177 Toz Au/Met Tons Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 5g/mt
  • Year 1985
    Period 1985
    Material ORE
    Description Cp_Grade: ^0.170 To2 Au/Met Ton Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Gold Gold 5g/mt

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1985
    Total resources 227,000,000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 5.287 g/mt Gold Major 1985

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSES OF WORKING RESULTS - 1984 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1984

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 1500M

Comments on the workings information

  • DEPTH BELOW SURFACE ESTIMATED

Comments on development

  • MILL.CAP: 0.25 MIL. MET. T/YR. ; ECON.YEAR: 1940 ; ECON.COM: A LOW GRADE PRODUCER WITH HIGH OPERATING COSTS $167.47/TROY OUNCE OF GOLD RECOVERED; 1977). ESTIMATED LIFE OF MINE: 10 YEARS AT CURRENT PRICE OF GOLD. ONE ORE HORIZON MINED ONLY: MAIN REEF (WITH MERGED MAIN REEF LEADER)

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS W027856

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

    WAGNER, 1929, PLATINUM DEPOSITS AND MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA: STRUIK (PTY) LTD., CAPETOWN 1973, P. 33.

  • Deposit

    MERTIE, 1969, ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF PLATINUM METALS: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 630, P. 45-48.

  • Deposit

    QUIRING, 1962, PLATINMETALLE: STUTTGART, ENKE, P. 101.

  • Deposit

    WITWATERSRAND NIGEL LIMITED, (N.D.), ANNUAL REPORT, WITWATERSRAND NIGEL LIMITED.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, 1977, QUARTERLY REVIEW OF SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD SHARES: MINING JOURNAL, V. 19, NO. 1.

  • Production

    WITWATERSRAND WIGEL ANNUAL REPORTS ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1984 ; WITWATERSRAND NIGEL ANNUAL REPORT-1985 ; WITWATERSRAND NIGEL ANNUAL REPORT-1986 ; ANALYSES OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA - 1980 ; CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA - ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1981 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS - 1983 ; CHAMBER OF MINES ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS-1982 ; ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA, JANUARY - DECEMBER 1979 ; ANALYSIS OF WORKING RESULTS, CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA. JANUARY - DECEMBER 1978

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit INFORMATION MERGED FROM RECORD NUMBER W028685 ; W028712 ; W030951 ; W032352 ; W032962 ; W033160 ; W033799 ; W055300 ; W055301
Deposit MAX. THICKNESS REFERS TO ORE HORIZON (REEF) ONLY (MAIN REEF/MAIN REEF LEADER). DEPTH TO TOP NOT AVAILABLE. DEPTH TO BOTTOM ESTIMATED. STRIKE AND DIP APPROX.
Deposit THIS RECORD INCLUDES DATA FROM DUPLICATE RECORD M046296 WHICH HAS BEEN DELETED FROM MRDS.

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-JUL-1987 Mccarter, Lorna D. Department of State