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Kroondal, Marikana - Bushveld Complex |
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North West Province, South Africa |
| Main commodities:
PGE PGM Cr
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Super Porphyry Cu and Au
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IOCG Deposits - 70 papers
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All papers now Open Access.
Available as Full Text for direct download or on request. |
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The Kroondal and Marikana platinum mines are located on the south-western and southern limb of the western lobe of the Bushveld Complex, ~120km NW of Johannesburg, and to the immediate NE and east of the town of Rustenburg in the Northwest Province of South Africa.
(#Location: Kroondal - 25° 42' 20"S, 27° 19' 34"E; Marikana - 25° 44' 17"S, 27° 25' 12"E).
For background on the regional setting, distribution of mineralisation and a geological map see the Bushveld Complex overview record.
The Kroondal mines exploit the UG2 Reef contained in the Kroondal and Townlands blocks. The Townlands blocks is situated immediately to the NE of Rustenburg, and exploits a 7 km, NW-SE trending strike length of the reef. The Kroondal block is separated from the Townlands block by the 8 km long Bathopele Mine of the separate Rustenburg Section mine complex. Within the Kroondal block, an ~8 km strike length of the UG2 reef is represented, striking WNW-ESE. The Marikana block adjoins the Kroondal block to the east, and covers a strike length of ~6 km. The Kroondal block is in turn, bounded to the east by the separate Western Platinum Marikana mine.
The UG2 Reef outcrops on the Kroondal property and dips to the north at ~9°, and on the Townlands block covers a down dip extent of ~1.5 km, normal to the strike of the reef, before it passes into the Rustenburg Section Thembelani mine at depth. Similarly the Kroondal and Marikana blocks cover a variable width normal to strike of ~2 to 3 km before the reef passes downdip into the Rustenburg Section Siphumele mine area at depth.
The Marikana open pit orebody (exhausted in 2011), measured ~1.5 x 3 km, where the UG2 reef had a basin-like structureon its up-dip eroded margin, dipping toward the centre from all sides at between 10 and 20° to a maximum depth of ~200 m. On the northern margin of this basin-like structure the reef reversed dip and resumed the more usual dip to the north at ~9°
The UG2 reef in all three blocks comprises two mineralised seams, the Main and Leader seams, separated by a one-metre barren pyroxenite zone commonly known as the parting. The overlying Merensky reef is not mined at these operations, as it has largely been eroded.
For background on the geology and mineralisation of the Bushveld Complex, see the separate Bushveld Complex record.
See also the Rustenburg Section and Impala Platinum records for a description of the UG2 reef in the adjoining mines.
The JORC compliant ore reserves and mineral resources at the Kroondal Mine at 30 June, 2012 (Aquarius Platinum 2012) were:
UG2,
Proved + probable Reserve - 25.51 Mt @ 2.89 g/t 4E, plus
Measured + indicated + inferred resource - 16.15 Mt @ 5.94 g/t 4E.
The JORC compliant ore reserves and mineral resources at the Marikana Mine at 30 June, 2012 (Aquarius Platinum 2012) were:
UG2,
Proved + probable Reserve - 15.61 Mt @ 3.14 g/t 4E, plus
Measured + indicated + inferred resource - 16.53 Mt @ 5.04 g/t 4E,
Note: 4E = Pt+Pd+Rh+Au,
The most recent source geological information used to prepare this decription was dated: 2012.
This description is a summary from published sources, the chief of which are listed below.
© Copyright Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd. Unauthorised copying, reproduction, storage or dissemination prohibited.
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Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd (PorterGeo) provides access to this database at no charge. It is largely based on scientific papers and reports in the public domain, and was current when the sources consulted were published. While PorterGeo endeavour to ensure the information was accurate at the time of compilation and subsequent updating, PorterGeo, its employees and servants: i). do not warrant, or make any representation regarding the use, or results of the use of the information contained herein as to its correctness, accuracy, currency, or otherwise; and ii). expressly disclaim all liability or responsibility to any person using the information or conclusions contained herein.
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