Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Breast stoping with strike pillars
|
Production Start | ...  |
Mine Life | 60 years (as of Jan 1, 2017) |
The Morula mine and smelters are now part of Samancor's Dikwena Chrome Smelting Operation and Western Chrome Mines (WCM) mining complex. |
Source:
p. 1
Company | Interest | Ownership |
Samancor Holdings (Pty) Ltd.
|
100 %
|
Indirect
|
Hernic (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.
Contractors
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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 ........

Mining Methods
- Breast stoping with strike pillars
Summary:
The underground mining operations are taking place below the Farms De Kroon 444 JQ and Elandsfontein 440 JQ and are accessed via the Morula Shaft Complex.
The stoping method used at Morula (Maroelabult) is conventional breast mining. Advance strike gullies spaced at 21.5m are 1.5m wide and 2.8m deep and will be developed on reef. The panel width will be maintained below 22.5m for stability and safety reasons. The panels will have 6.0m long by 4.0m wide strike pillars with 2m holings between pillars, with the ASG maintained approximately 3m ahead of the advancing stope face.
Source:
Summary:

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