Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- High profile de-stress
- Longhole stoping
- Drift & Benching
- Hydraulic mining
- Cemented paste backfill
|
Production Start | ... |
Mine Life | 2096 |
South Deep Gold Mine is a world-class bulk mechanised mining. The mine has been built to extract one of the largest known gold deposits in the world.
South Deep Mine consist of the: - An underground bulk mechanised mine; - The South Deep processing plant; - For tailings retreatment, the South Deep plant also includes a tailings retreatment section that consists of a thickener followed by a dedicated CIL circuit. |
Source:
p. 308
Company | Interest | Ownership |
BEE
|
10 %
|
Indirect
|
Gold Fields Ltd.
|
90 %
|
Indirect
|
South Deep Joint Venture
(operator)
|
100 %
|
Direct
|
The South Deep Joint Venture (“SDJV”) owns and operates the South Deep Gold Mine. The SDJV is an unincorporated joint venture between Gold Fields Operations Limited (“GFO”) and GFI Joint Venture Holdings Proprietary Limited (“GFIJVH”). GFO and GFIJVH are wholly owned subsidiaries of Newshelf 899 Proprietary Limited (“Newshelf”). The share capital of Newshelf comprises of:
- 90 000 000 “A” shares, representing 90% of Newshelf’s equity. Gold Fields Limited is the holder of the “A” shares; and
- 10 000 000 “B” shares, representing 10% of Newshelf’s equity. South Deep’s BEE shareholders are the holders of the “B” shares.
Contractors
- Subscription is required.
Summary:
Gold mineralisation in the Witwatersrand Basin occurs within uraniferous quartz pebble conglomerate horizons, termed reefs. These reefs occur within seven separate goldfields located along the eastern, northern, and western margins of the basin known as the Evander, East Rand, Central Rand, West Rand, Far West Rand, Klerksdorp and Free State Goldfields respectively. Typically, within each goldfield there are one or two major reef units present, which may be overlain by one or more secondary reef units. As a result of geological faulting and other primary controls on mineralisation, the goldfields are not continuous and are characterized by the presence or dominance of different reef units. The reefs are generally less than 2 m in thickness and are widely considered to represent laterally extensive braided fluvial deposits or unconfined flow deposits which formed along the flanks of alluvial fan systems around the edge of what was effectively an ancient inland sea.
All major reef units are developed above geological unconformity surfaces. The angle of unconformity is typically greatest near the basin margin and decreases toward more distal areas. Complex patterns of syn-depositional faulting have caused variations in sediment thickness within the basin. Sub-vertical to over-folded reef structures are a characteristic of basin margin features within certain areas.
The gold is deemed primarily of detrital origin, deposited syngenetically with the conglomerates. Although the go ........
Mining Methods
- High profile de-stress
- Longhole stoping
- Drift & Benching
- Hydraulic mining
- Cemented paste backfill
Summary:
A number of selective mining methods, including drifts and benches, are employed but long-hole stoping (LHS) with paste fill is the primary bulk mining method.
South Deep is an underground bulk mechanised mine using a mix of full-time employees and contractors. Reserves are accessed through access development, destress and shadow development cuts to manage rock stress and seismic activity. A few selective mining methods, including drifts and benches, are employed but long-hole stoping with backfill is the primary bulk mining method. Given the unique mining method, there is a continuous extraction sequence and mine layout optimisation.
The South Deep mine is accessed from the surface through two shaft systems: the Twin Shafts Complex of which the main shaft comprises a single drop to a depth of 2,998 m below surface, the Ventilation Shaft to a depth of 2,947 m below surface and the South Shaft Complex, which is a subvertical system (three operating shafts) to a depth of 2,786 m below surface. The South Deep mine is divided into three main areas:
- Current Mine (CM) characterised by selective mining methods scattered over a large area originally exploited by conventional tabular mining. The CM is accessed on four active levels from both the Twin Shaft and South Shaft complexes.
- North of Wrench (NoW) directly south and down dip of CM, comprising six mining corridors separated by regional pillars that extend southwards to the Wrench ........
Source:
- subscription is required.
Flow Sheet:
Summary:
- subscription is required.
Production:
In 2022, in addition to ore treated from underground - 1,571 kt, South Deep processed 1,227 kt from hydraulic mining tailings re-processing, and 186 of Waste was treated.
Commodity | Units | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Gold
|
kg
| ...... ^ | ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... | 5,220 | 8,748 |
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré.
^ Guidance / Forecast.
- Subscription is required.
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Annual processing capacity
| ...... | ...... | ...... | 4 Mt | 4 Mt | 4 Mt |
Ore tonnes mined
| ...... | ...... | ...... | 1,060 kt | 835 kt | 1,421 kt |
Waste
| ...... | ...... | ...... | 77 kt | 200 kt | 189 kt |
Total tonnes mined
| ...... | ...... | ...... | 1,138 kt | 1,036 kt | 1,610 kt |
Tonnes processed
| ...... | ...... | ...... | 1,666 kt | 1,320 kt | 2,081 kt |
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Reserves at December 31, 2022:
Underground Mineral Resources cut-off grade: 3.4 – 6.0 g/t;
Underground Mineral Reserves cut-off grade: 4.0 – 4.4 g/t.
Category | OreType | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
12,808 kt
|
Gold
|
5.46 g/t
|
2,250 koz
|
Probable
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
165,974 kt
|
Gold
|
4.95 g/t
|
26,429 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
178,782 kt
|
Gold
|
4.99 g/t
|
28,679 koz
|
Measured
|
Tailings
|
43,640 kt
|
Gold
|
0.23 g/t
|
318 koz
|
Measured
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
15,002 kt
|
Gold
|
6.48 g/t
|
3,123 koz
|
Measured
|
Total
|
58,643 kt
|
Gold
|
1.83 g/t
|
3,441 koz
|
Indicated
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
78,971 kt
|
Gold
|
6.61 g/t
|
16,779 koz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
Tailings
|
43,640 kt
|
Gold
|
0.23 g/t
|
318 koz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
93,973 kt
|
Gold
|
6.59 g/t
|
19,902 koz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
Total
|
137,613 kt
|
Gold
|
4.57 g/t
|
20,220 koz
|
Inferred
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
20,406 kt
|
Gold
|
9.1 g/t
|
5,971 koz
|
HME Type | Model | Quantity | Ref. Date | Source |
Bolter
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Bolter
|
.......................
|
.......................
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Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
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Cable bolter
|
.......................
|
.......................
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Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Drill
|
.......................
|
.......................
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Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Drill
|
.......................
|
.......................
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Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Drill
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Drill (long hole)
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Drill (long hole)
|
.......................
|
.......................
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Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Drill (long hole)
|
.......................
|
.......................
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Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Explosives Charger
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Explosives Charger
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD)
|
.......................
|
|
Jul 7, 2022
|
p.1
|
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD)
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD)
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD)
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD)
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Scaler
|
|
.......................
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Scissor Lift
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Scissor Lift
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Truck (dump)
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Truck (dump)
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
Truck (dump)
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
p.86
|
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Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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- Subscription is required.