Mining Intelligence and News
South Africa

Morula Mine

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Overview

Mine TypeUnderground
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Chrome
Mining Method
  • Breast stoping with strike pillars
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SnapshotThe Morula mine and smelters are now part of Samancor's Dikwena Chrome Smelting Operation and Western Chrome Mines (WCM) mining complex.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Samancor Chrome Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Hernic Ferrochrome (Pty) Ltd (which is now in liquidation) sold and transferred its entire business and employees to Samancor’s Dikwena Chrome Pty Limited with effect from 01 November 2019.

Deposit type

  • Magmatic

Summary:

The surface geology to the far south and south-east of the study area consists predominantly of lithologies of the Magaliesberg Formation. The sandstones and quartzites of the Magaliesberg Formation are highly resistant to weathering and as a result give rise to the Magaliesberg Mountain Range. The surface geology to the north of the Magaliesberg Formation and within the southern extent of the study area (to the south of HERNIC) consists of Kroondal Norites of the Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC) which intruded into and above the lithological units of the Magaliesberg Formation and Silverton Formation of the Pretoria Group.

The Ruighoek Pyroxenites are further overlain by the Mathlagame Norites and Anorthosites of the BIC. These norites and anorthosites make up most of the northern area of the HERNIC site boundary. Pyramid Gabbro-Norites overly the Mathlagame Norites and Anorthosites and outcrop to the north of the HERNIC site boundary.

The host rock matrix at Hernic Ferrochrome (down to an average depth of 27 mbgl) comprises predominantly of weathered, fractured and fresh norites (Mathlagame Norites-Anorthosites) which are extensively covered by soil and / or overburden material at the surface. The soil comprises of a dark brown to greyish brown structured fine grained and clayey “turf” soil derived from the predominantly noritic parent material. The thickness of the soil penetrated during the drilling of the 8 investigative boreholes varies between 1.0 m and 4.0 m, with an average of 1.6 m.

The depth of weathering and weathering related fracturing is relatively deep and varies between 13.0 m and 22.5 m, with an average depth of 17.6 m. The norites weather down to a soft gritty matrix, which is unevenly distributed across the study area. The weathering / fracturing profile depth is combination of the primary weathering profile and the transitional fracturing zone which occurs immediately above the fresh bedrock interface.

The mining operations at HERNIC are directly dependent on the nature of the underlying geology and associated chromite ore layers. The MG-1, MG-2 and MG-4 chromitite layers have historically been mined by opencast mining operations and are currently still being mined by underground mining operations within the eastern extent of the site.

Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Production

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

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Aerial view:

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