.
Location: 8 km NE from Westonaria, South Africa
Constantia Office Park Cnr 14th Avenue & Hendrik Potgieter Road Bridgeview House Ground floorWeltevreden ParkSouth Africa1709
Stay on top of the latest gold discoveries. Examine the latest updates on drilling outcomes spanning various commodities.
Mining scale, mining and mill throughput capaciites.Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Shaft depth, mining scale, backfill type and mill throughput data.Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Equipment type, model, size and quantity.Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Camp size, mine location and contacts.Full profiles of select mines and projects.
The mineral assets are historical gold plant tailings material from the mining of auriferous and uraniferous ore from the goldbearing, late Archaean (2.7Ga to 3.2Ga), Witwatersrand Basin in the West Rand Goldfield. The typical composition is quartz (70% to 80%), mica (10%), chlorite and chloritoid (9% to 18%) and pyrite (1% to 2%). Gold, uranium oxide, zirconium and chromium are minor constituents.The composition of a TSF depends on the geochemical make-up of the material being mined and the chemicals used in the mining and extraction process. Further, the internal structure of the TSF reflects the mining strategy and depositional methodologies employed for each operation. The bulk density of tailings material and the lateral and vertical variation in moisture content is a critical factor in the accurate estimation of tonnages. In addition, secondary processes such as metal remobilisation, erosion, weathering, leaching and acid mine drainage can affect the geochemical characteristics of a TSF. Gold can undergo mobilisation within the TSF over time, and hence, may exhibit areas of reconcentration, and even be present in the sub-structure (footprint) soil. These factors can result in a considerable variation in gold content and distribution throughout the TSF and such variation has an impact on final recoveries and projected revenues for the operation.Tailings from Cooke plant (RSO) are deposited into historic, dormant, unrehabilitated opencasts connected to the old underground workings of the Randfontein Estates operation as part of an approved EMPR. An estimated 11.1Mt of depositional capacity is available in these pits assuming no further storage capacity in the connected underground workings. To date however, there is no indication that the tailings are beginning to beach and the material is still filling the underground voids.A total of 4.0Mt of depositional capacity is still available at the Cooke 4 (Ezulwini) TSF complex.There is sufficient capacity for depositing the three-year LoM residue tailings material.
- subscription is required.