Use the map of South Africa and the data provided in the table below to draw your own map of where mining in South Africa takes place. You will need to find out where the towns are located in South Africa and indicate them on the map. Your teacher will indicate whether you must show all the locations, or a selection of the ones provided.
Once exposed, the ore in the pit is broken up by blasting. A single blast can break approx. 3,000 tonnes of ore. Once the ore is broken, excavators load the ore into haul trucks and transport it to a primary ore crusher where the diamond extracting process begins. The Kimberley Big Hole is an example of open-pit mining.
3.1 Mining Different mining methods are used on heavy mineral sand deposits, depending on the location and type of ore body. In South Africa, there are three main mining methods used on heavy mineral deposits: 1) Monitoring method: used by KZN Sands mining operations where the minerals occur in a sand form and no size reduction is needed.
Platinum mining in South Africa. In South Africa, the discovery of the first platinum nuggets dates back to 1924. The geologist Hans Merensky’s follow-up work resulted in the discovery of two deposits, each around 100km in length, which became known as the Bushveld Igneous Complex.
South Deep is an underground mine, using an owner mining workforce. Operations are accessed through development and a 5.5m high destress cut to manage rock stress and seismic activity. A number of selective mining methods, including drifts and benches, are employed but long-hole stoping with paste fill is the primary bulk mining method.
Mining of the BC occurs as both underground and open pit operations, with extraction taking place from 1-5 km depth. Much of the deeper ore is still intact. Open pit mining is carried out using the truck and shovel method. Underground mining occurs via the conventional room and pillar and breast mining methods with various levels of mechanization.
The Crocodile River Mine is near Rustenburg, South Africa. The Crocodile River Mine is a underground mining operation. Mine operations consist of underground workings. There are a total of 4 shafts. The mining method is other open stope methods. Mine capacity in 1991 was 14413 mt ore/day with a production unit cost of 19.15 $/mt ore.
Once exposed, the ore in the pit is broken up by blasting. A single blast can break approx. 3,000 tonnes of ore. Once the ore is broken, excavators load the ore into haul trucks and transport it to a primary ore crusher where the diamond extracting process begins. The Kimberley Big Hole is an example of open-pit mining.
3.1 Mining Different mining methods are used on heavy mineral sand deposits, depending on the location and type of ore body. In South Africa, there are three main mining methods used on heavy mineral deposits: 1) Monitoring method: used by KZN Sands mining operations where the minerals occur in a sand form and no size reduction is needed.
Used a lot by South African gold mining companies, this method can be used in both soft and hard rocks as the working area along the mining face can be supported artificially in places where the hanging wall shows a tendency to collapse. Longwall mining helps to extract ore along a straight front with a large longitudinal extension.
The Crocodile River Mine is near Rustenburg, South Africa. The Crocodile River Mine is a underground mining operation. Mine operations consist of underground workings. There are a total of 4 shafts. The mining method is other open stope methods. Mine capacity in 1991 was 14413 mt ore/day with a production unit cost of 19.15 $/mt ore.
Mining of the BC occurs as both underground and open pit operations, with extraction taking place from 1-5 km depth. Much of the deeper ore is still intact. Open pit mining is carried out using the truck and shovel method. Underground mining occurs via the conventional room and pillar and breast mining methods with various levels of mechanization.
South Deep is an underground mine, using an owner mining workforce. Operations are accessed through development and a 5.5m high destress cut to manage rock stress and seismic activity. A number of selective mining methods, including drifts and benches, are employed but long-hole stoping with paste fill is the primary bulk mining method.
One of the mine’s Tamrock Solo long-hole drill rigs, used for bulk mining of the orebodies - a rarity in South Africa’s gold mines. The underground crusher station, commissioned in 2000, crushed run-of-mine ore to a size that can be handled safely on the decline conveyors.
The method is similar to cut and fill mining with the ex ception that after being blasted, broken ore is left in the stope where it is used t o support the surrounding rock and as a platform from .
Used a lot by South African gold mining companies, this method can be used in both soft and hard rocks as the working area along the mining face can be supported artificially in places where the hanging wall shows a tendency to collapse. Longwall mining helps to extract ore along a straight front with a large longitudinal extension.
Despite this abundance in natural mineral resources, South African mining faces a systemic crisis. Local gold production has collapsed from 605 tonnes in 1994 to 133 tonnes (22% of it) in 2014, despite a 218% boom in the gold price during this time and South African gold reserves still ranked No 1 internationally (by value US$151bn).
new iron ore port at Indienne for Mayoko iron ore north of Pointe Noire. In 2007 privately owned British firm Mining Projects Development said it had found large deposits of iron ore at the Zanaga site in Lekoumou region, in the south of the country. Exploration work suggested there could be 500 million tonnes of ore.
Today, the mining industry remains one of the biggest contributors to the country’s economy with an estimated worth of R20.3 trillion (US$2.5 trillion). It is the world’s fifth largest mining sector in terms of gross domestic product (GDP), contributing eight percent to South Africa’s GDP.
One of the mine’s Tamrock Solo long-hole drill rigs, used for bulk mining of the orebodies - a rarity in South Africa’s gold mines. The underground crusher station, commissioned in 2000, crushed run-of-mine ore to a size that can be handled safely on the decline conveyors.
Selective mining methods. Cut and fill mining is a method of short-hole mining used in steeply dipping or irregular ore zones, in particular where the hanging wall limits the use of long-hole methods. The ore is mined in horizontal or slightly inclined slices, and then filled with waste rock, sand or tailings.
1.8 “Reef Development with a Tunnel Boring Machine on a South African Platinum 19 Mine” by M.Stander, K.Rhodes, P.Horrell, D Sammons, G.Harrison, J.Dean 1.9 “Design of In Stope Pillars in Cut and Fill Mining for a Gold Mine in Ethiopia” 20
Sustainable Development (SOUTHERN AFRICA) Project, by CSIR-Environmentek, Pretoria, South Africa and Geology Department, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe. Report No. ENV-P-C 2001-042. xvi + 336 pp; J.J. Marcus, ed. Mining Environmental Handbook: Effects of Mining on the Environment and
Despite this abundance in natural mineral resources, South African mining faces a systemic crisis. Local gold production has collapsed from 605 tonnes in 1994 to 133 tonnes (22% of it) in 2014, despite a 218% boom in the gold price during this time and South African gold reserves still ranked No 1 internationally (by value US$151bn).
new iron ore port at Indienne for Mayoko iron ore north of Pointe Noire. In 2007 privately owned British firm Mining Projects Development said it had found large deposits of iron ore at the Zanaga site in Lekoumou region, in the south of the country. Exploration work suggested there could be 500 million tonnes of ore.
mining containing 42% Cr203, and the Cr/Fe ratio range is between 1,30 -1,38. 3. Mining of Chromite The mining techniques used depend on the ore body. Typically in South Africa, there are opencast, conventional scraper-winch mining (figure 4) and trackless mechanised mining with Load Haul Dumpers (LHD's) (figure 5).
mining site from surface. At a later stage pumpable emulsion explosives and electronic detonaters will be used to make charging of the blast holes more effective. Services requirement Drilling water with a pressure of at least 6 bar (140l/min.) 152 APRIL 2002 The Journal of The South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Figure 2—Mining .
1.8 “Reef Development with a Tunnel Boring Machine on a South African Platinum 19 Mine” by M.Stander, K.Rhodes, P.Horrell, D Sammons, G.Harrison, J.Dean 1.9 “Design of In Stope Pillars in Cut and Fill Mining for a Gold Mine in Ethiopia” 20
Sustainable Development (SOUTHERN AFRICA) Project, by CSIR-Environmentek, Pretoria, South Africa and Geology Department, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe. Report No. ENV-P-C 2001-042. xvi + 336 pp; J.J. Marcus, ed. Mining Environmental Handbook: Effects of Mining on the Environment and
Best mining methods then also become an issue. Currently, all mining on the Platreef is by open pit methods, but it is limited to probably 500–800 m depth. Drilling has shown that the Platreef continues to at least 2 km depth. Methods of underground mining of this wide ore body are still being developed.
Implats is one of the world's foremost producers of platinum and associated platinum group metals (PGMs). Implats is structured around five main operations. Our operations are located on the Bushveld Complex in South Africa and the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe, the two most significant PGM-bearing ore bodies in the world.