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Selebi/Phikwe

Producer in Botswana with commodities Cobalt, Copper, Nickel
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Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10256133
MAS/MILS ID 7930000002
Record type Site
Current site name Selebi/Phikwe
Alternate or previous names Selebi-Phikwe, Selebi North, Selebi, Phikwe

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: 27.83471, -22.00511 (WGS84)
Location accuracy 10000(meters)
(click for info)

Geographic areas

Country
Botswana

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Cobalt Secondary
Copper Primary
Nickel Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chalcopyrite Unknown
Hornblende Unknown
Magnetite Unknown
Pentlandite Unknown
Pyrrhotite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) 27.83471, -22.00511
ListMap

Ore body information

  • Depth to top 400M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 DISSEMINATED
    Shape of Orebody #1 OTHER
    Primary mode of Origin METAMORPHISM
    Primary Ore Control FOLDING
    Secondary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. INTENSE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 UNKNOWN
    Date of Last Modification 830609

Comments on the geologic information

  • PIKWE OREBODY IS ARCUATE OF L-SHAPED; STRIKE DISTANCE OF 2000 M MAINTAINED TO DEPTH OF 365 M THEN REDUCES. SELEBI ORE BODY IS STRAP SHAPED; STRIKE DISTANCE OF 1,200 M IS MAINTAINED TO A DEPTH OF 300 M.
  • SULFIDE MINERALS AT PIKWE&SELEBI HAVE GRAIN SIZES RANGING FROM FINE TO COARSE(.5 MM TO SEVERAL MM).

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1964
Year of first production 1974
Milling method Flotation

Mining district

District name Pikwe-Selebi

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Bcl Ltd.
    Home office Botswana
    Year 1991
  • Type Owner
    Owner Botswana Rst Ltd
    Interest 85
    Home office Botswana
    Year 1991
  • Type Owner
    Owner Botswana Government
    Interest 15
    Home office Botswana
    Year 1991

Production statistics

  • Year 1981
    Description 0.89% Ni, 0.81% Cu 2464000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
    Major Ore Nickel Nickel 1wt-pct
  • Year 1982
    Description 0.86% Ni, 0.84% Cu 2461000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
    Major Ore Nickel Nickel 1wt-pct
  • Year 1983
    Description 0.81% Ni, 0.89% Cu 2845000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
    Major Ore Nickel Nickel 1wt-pct
  • Year 1984
    Description 0.79% Ni, 0.85% Cu 3110000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
    Major Ore Nickel Nickel 1wt-pct
  • Year 1985
    Description 0.81% Ni, 0.84% Cu 3247000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
    Major Ore Nickel Nickel 1wt-pct
  • Year 1986
    Description 0.79% Ni, 0.85% Cu 3235000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
    Major Ore Nickel Nickel 1wt-pct
  • Year 1987
    Description 0.79% Ni, 0.85% Cu 3281000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
    Major Ore Nickel Nickel 1wt-pct
  • Year 1988
    Description 0.78% Ni, 0.82% Cu 3330000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
    Major Ore Nickel Nickel 1wt-pct
  • Year 1989
    Description 0.71% Ni, 0.74% Cu 3338000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
    Major Ore Nickel Nickel 1wt-pct
  • Year 1990
    Description 0.69% Ni, 0.75% Cu 3369000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
    Major Ore Nickel Nickel 1wt-pct
  • Year 1991
    Description 3451000 Mt Ore

Comments on the production information

  • MILL CONCENTRATE GRADE FOR NI IS 3.55%; FOR CU, 3.47%, FOR CO, IS 0.25%. SMELTER RECOVERY IS NI, 65%; CU, 61%, CO, 65%. SMELTER CONCENTRATE GRADES ARE NI, 40%; CU, 36%, CO, 3% REFINERY RECOVERY IS NI, 96%, CU, 98%, CO, 96%.
  • 1962-GEOCHEM SURVEY OVER 3,580 SQ.KM.-800 SQ KM AREA PURSUED MARCH-APRIL 1963-SELEBI ANOMALY(1,600 M LONG)DISCOVERED. MAY-JUNE 1963 -10 TRENCHES DUG. JAN.1964-"WAGON"DRILLING DEFINED TREND OVER STRIKE OF 1,524M MID-1964-8 DIAMOND DRILL HOLES-GROUPING OF 3 HOLES INDICATED MINERALIZATION AT DEPTH. MID-1965-DRILLING RESUMED AT SELEBI AND GENERAL AREA SUBJECTED TO GEOCHEM PROSPECTING & GEOLOGIC MAPPING. JULY,1966-GEOCHEM. ANOMALY DISCOVERED AT PIKWE,14.5 KM NE OF SELEBI. OCT.1966 -DIAMOND DRILLING BEGAN AT PIKWE. DRILLING AT PIKWE & SELEBI CONTINUED UNTIL EARLY 1971. MAY,1967 TO DEC.1969-UG EXPL.DEVELOPMENT TO EXPOSE ORE BODIES & CONDUCT MET. TESTS. TOTAL OF 3,442 M AT PIKWE AND 1,168 M AT SELEBI. MID-1971 TO NOV.1972-SHAFTS (1 PRODUCTION,1 MEN & MATERIALS, & 3 VENTILATION), HEADFRAMES, MAIN ORE & WASTE PASSES, MAIN LEVELS & PUMP STATIONS COMPLETE. NOV.1972 TO DEC.1973-11,000 M OF DEVELOPMENT TO BEGIN PROD.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1978
    Demonstrated 31,516,000mt ore
    Indicated 31,516,000mt ore
    Total resources 31,516,000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 1.06 wt-pct Copper Major 1978
    Nickel Ni 1.21 wt-pct Nickel Major 1978
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1978
    Demonstrated 12,637,000mt ore
    Indicated 12,637,000mt ore
    Total resources 12,637,000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 1.5 wt-pct Copper Major 1978
    Nickel Ni 0.71 wt-pct Nickel Major 1978
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1980
    Demonstrated 26,000,000mt ore
    Measured 26,000,000mt ore
    Total resources 26,000,000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.77 wt-pct Copper Major 1980
    Nickel Ni 0.96 wt-pct Nickel Major 1980
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1987
    Demonstrated 42,435,000mt ore
    Indicated 42,435,000mt ore
    Total resources 42,435,000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Nickel Ni 0.84 wt-pct Nickel Major 1987
    Copper Cu 0.96 wt-pct Copper Major 1987
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1988
    Demonstrated 107,021,000mt ore
    Indicated 107,021,000mt ore
    Total resources 107,021,000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Nickel Ni 0.72 wt-pct Nickel Major 1988
    Copper Cu 0.8 wt-pct Copper Major 1988
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1991
    Demonstrated 93,011,000mt ore
    Total resources 93,011,000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Nickel Ni 0.7 wt-pct Nickel Major 1991
    Copper Cu 0.73 wt-pct Copper Major 1991

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • 1971 RESERVE CALCULATIONS BASED UPON SPEC.GRAV.OF 0.21 TO 0.33 CU M/MT.PROVED ORE CLASSIFIED HAS DRILL HOLE INTER- SECTIONS AT TRIANGULAR INTERVALS OF 150 M,PROBABLE ORE BASED ON 300 M INTERVALS.
  • DEMONSTRATED AND IDENTIFIED RESERVES BASED ON PROVEN AND PROBABLE RESERVES FROM AMAX 1979 10K. COBALT GRADE BASED ON CONTENT OF COBALT IN MATTE PRODUCED. 1988 PRODUCTION AT ABOUT 20000 T OF NI IN MATTE. MATTE SENT TO NORWAY FOR TREATMENT NEW OPEN PIT MAY BE DEVELOPED
  • DEMONSTRATE AND ID. RESERVES ARE BASE ON 1979 10K FROM AMAX AND ALSO BASED ON 1987 BCL REPORT. TONNAGE IS PROBABLY CONSERVATIVE

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 400M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method COMBINED METHODS
    Percent Waste Rock 9
    Percent Recovery 84
    Number of Shafts 5
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 12814
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 24.33
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 312
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1991

Comments on other economic factors

  • AT PIKWE, 2 MINING METHODS USED: IN STEEP DIP AREAS CUT+FILL USED WITH 80 M LENGTH STOPES ALONG STRIKE & 20M STRIKE LENGTH PILLARS; IN MORE FLATLY DIPPING AREAS (10-25 DEG.)OPEN STOPING IS USED WITH STOPES ON 20 M CENTERS ALONG STRIKE AND 100M ALONG DIP WITH PILLAR RECOVERY AFTER FILL (TAILS & SAND) SELEBI OPEN PIT MINING CEASED IN 1980, BUT UNDERGROUND MINING CONTINUES.

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
U.S. Bureau of Mines Minerals Availability System MAS 7930000002

Bibliographic references

  • Geology

    GORDON,P.S.L.THE SELEBI-PIKWE NICKEL-COPPER DEPOSITS,

  • Geology

    BOTSWANA.GEOL.SOC.OF S.AFRICA.SPECIAL PUBL.3.SYMPOSIUM

  • Geology

    ON GRANITES,GNEISSES AND RELATED ROCKS.1973.PP.167-187.

  • Production

    VALLENTINE,R.J.HOW SELEBI-PIKWE NI-CU PROJECT OVERCAME EARLY

  • Production

    PRODUCTION PROBLEMS.WORLD MINING.NOV.1977.PP.47-52.

  • Production

    S.A.MINING&ENGINEERING JOURNAL.SELEBI-PIKWE,A RAY OF HOPE.

  • Production

    OCT.1975.PP.14-23.

  • Reserve-Resource

    COMMODITIES RESEARCH UNIT, COPPER STUDIES, 1/92, P.9-12.

  • Workings

    BOTSWANA RST LTD. ANNUAL REPORT,1976.

  • Workings

    MINING MAGAZINE.PROGRESS AT BOTSWANA'S SELEBI-PIKWE PROJECT.

  • Workings

    SEPT.1972.PP.237-239.

  • Workings

    *NICKEL NEWS, JAN. 2, 1993, ISSUE NO. 1/52, P. 6.

  • Deposit

    GORDON, P.S.L. "THE SELEBI-PHIKWE NICKEL-COPPER DEPOSIT,

  • Deposit

    BOTSWANA,"SYMPOSIUM ON GRANITES, GNEISSES AND RELATED ROCK

  • Deposit

    AUG/SEPT 1971. PP 167-183.

  • Deposit

    HOPPE,R."SELEBI-PHIKWE:RUNNING A GOOD AND TIGHT UNDERGROUND

  • Deposit

    MINE,"E/MJ.FEB 1980. PP.55-62.

  • Deposit

    "SELEBI-PHIKWE:CONCENTRATING AND SMELTING THE NICKEL-COPPER

  • Deposit

    ORE," E/MJ. MAY 1980. PP. 75-86.

  • Deposit

    VALENTINE, R.J. AND YOUNG,T.M. "OPERATIONS AT BCL,LTD.,

  • Deposit

    SELEBI-PHIKWE, BOTSWANA,"PRECEEDINGS OF THE 11TH

  • Deposit

    COMMON-WEALTH MINING AND METALLURGICAL CONGRESS HONG KONG

  • Deposit

    1978.

  • Deposit

    WAKEFIELD,J. "THE STRUCTURAL METAMORPHIC EVOLUTION OF THE

  • Deposit

    PHIKWE NI-CU SULFIDE DEPOSIT, SELEBI,PHIKWE,EASTERN

  • Deposit

    BOTSWANA".

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE, IMPROVED PERFORMANCE AT SELEBI-PHIKWE,

  • Deposit

    BOTSWANA, JAN. 1981, P11.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit BOTSWANA RST LTD IS OWNED 30% BY AMAX; ANOTHER 30% OWNERSHIP IN BOTSWANA RST IS HELD BY ANGLO AMERICAN CORP.,CHARTER CONSOLIDATED LTD.AND ASSOCIATED SOUTH AFRICAN COMPANIES; FOSECO MIN.SEPARATIONS(6%)&34%PUBLICLY HELD. BOTSWANA RST LTD.ALSO OWNS OTHER PROMISING DEPOSITS IN THE DISTRICT AT SELEBI NORTH AND AT DIKALO&LETSWI,WEST OF PIKWE. PIKWE IS 94 KM SE OF FRANCISTOWN,SELEBI IS 110 KM SE OF FRANCISTOWN.PIKWE LOCATED ON SF-35-7 AND SELEBI ON SF-35 -11 OF THE DMA 1501 SERIES MAPS(1:250,000 SCALE). MANNING TABLE: AREA EXPATRIATE LOCAL (AS OF 1977) MINING - 89 1,321 CONCENTRATOR - 37 242 SMELTER - 84 428 ENGINEERING - 135 379 ADM.,MED.,&PERS.- 70 332 TOTAL 415 2,702 OCT.1975-AVG.LOCAL WORKER AT PIKWE EARNING R50(US$57.50)/MO.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 23-DEC-94 Bleiwas, Donald U.S. Bureau of Mines