Diamonds

Klipspringer Diamond Mine, South Africa

Klipspringer Diamond Mine

This kimberlite dyke was identified in 1995. Following drilling, underground development and bulk sampling, the mine went into production in 2003. It is now the property of Mwana Africa.

Marsfontein Diamond Mine, South Africa

Marsfontein Diamond Mine

This diamond mine, the richest per ton ever found, was discovered in 1997. It was mined by De Beers and SouthernEra Resources, a Canadian junior. The kimberlite pipe has now been mined out and the area rehabilitated.

Platinum

Limpopo Platinum Mine, South Africa

Limpopo Platinum Mine

The sale of this then dormant mine from a South African mining house to a Canadian junior was brokered in 2000. Drilling and evaluation studies were then carried out and the mine was reopened as a mechanised operation in 2004. Both the Merensky and the UG2 carry good grades over mining widths here. Currently the mine forms part of the Lonmin stable.

Volspruit Platinum Project, South Africa

Volspruit Platinum Project

This open pit platinum project was identified by members of PanEx resources in 1998. Drilling and evaluation studies have been carried out since 2001 and a positive feasibility study has been completed. A milling rate of 300 000 tons per month is envisaged. A mining application has been submitted by Sylvania Platinum, the project owners. Sylvania also own a very similar platinum project 70 kms to the north, identified by PanEx Resources in 1998.

Phosiri Platinum Project, South Africa

Phosiri Platinum Project

This platinum deposit was identified in 2001. It is an unusual situation where the Bushveld Complex floor rocks have risen, bringing the reefs here up to mineable depths. Both the Merensky and UG2 reefs carry good grades over stoping widths. With over 40 million ounces in reserves and resources this is one of the world’s biggest unmined deposits. Currently the project belongs to a Chinese state mining enterprise and a mining licence is under application.

Gold

Buzwagi Gold Mine, Tanzania

Buzwagi Gold Mine

The gold deposit was discovered by regional soil sampling in an area with scant artisanal mining and was initially evaluated in a joint venture with Anglo American Corporation. The 3 million ounce gold deposit situated near Kahama in Tanzania was subsequently sold to Barrick Gold (Acacia Mining)

Tulawaka Gold Mine, Tanzania

Tulawaka Gold Mine

Discovered the deposit by regional soil sampling in an area with no known gold mineralisation. The deposit was drilled out for an open pit containing more than 1 million ounces gold at a grade of more than 10 g/t and sold to Barrick Gold.

Golden Ridge Gold Deposit, Tanzania

Golden Ridge Gold Deposit

Identified and evaluated by drilling this large ironstone hosted gold deposit located initially by BGR’s stream sediment sampling. The deposit is currently being developed by the Tanzanian State mining Corporation.

Makonjwaan Gold Mine, South Africa

Makonjwaan Gold Mine

Makonjwaan was one of the first open pit gold mines to be established in South Africa. It went into production in 1990 and is now mined out and rehabilitated. The mine was the property of Process and Mining Consultants (Pty) Limited.

Ivory Coast Gold Exploration Project

An option to acquire this early stage gold exploration project was acquired in 2005. Since then approximately $10 million has been spent on exploring and developing the Birimian age gold deposits found here. Resource calculations and metallurgical studies have been carried out and mining licence has been applied for.

Burnstone Gold Mine, South Africa

Mineral rights previously held by large mining houses were consolidated as a result of the new Mining Act in South Africa. The deposit was drilled and a resource of more than 17 million ounces was located before it was sold to Great Basin Gold a subsidiary of the Hunter Dixon Group.

Manica Gold Deposit, Mozambique

Known gold mineralisation in the vicinity of Manica town was drilled after realising that it may be part of a larger system. The deposit was sold at an early stage to Pan African Resources as its first asset before that company grew into a mid-tier gold producer today.

Sofala Gold Mine, South Africa

The Sofala deposit of gold bearing banded ironstone was discovered in the Barberton Mountainland in 1991. An open pit mine was established on the deposit and the ore was treated in the Makonjwaan recovery plant. The Sofala deposit has now been mined out and the area rehabilitated.

Vanadium

RhoVan Vanadium Mine, South Africa

Discovered, by systematic sampling of magnetite contained in soils, an unknown extensive sub-cropping disseminated magnetite layer in the Bushveld Complex close to the town of Brits. The magnetite contains high grade vanadium and is mined by Xstrata’s RhoVan Mine, one of the world’s largest, richest and lowest cost mines.

Nickel

Zebediela nickel project, South Africa

Both Anton Esterhuizen and Mike Scott from PanEx Resources worked on the development of the Zebediela Nickel Project. This is a new discovery where drilling has demonstrated over 500M tons of resource amenable to open pit mining. The project is owned by URU Metals, a London listed Junior. A preliminary economic assessment returned positive figures and a definitive feasibility study is planned. Also on the property is a copper-nickel-platinum project where preliminary drilling has shown resource grade rock over substantial widths.

Copper

Otjihase Copper Mine, Namibia

This copper deposit was discovered in 1971. Mike Scott from PanEx was a key member of the discovery team. Following drilling and evaluation an underground mining operation was established in 1973. Initially it was operated by Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Company. Gold Fields South Africa then took it over and mined for a number of years. It is now owned and operated by Weatherly Resources.

Coal

Taaiboschspruit Colliery, South Africa

Identified and evaluated a block of high grade steam coal close to Piet Retief in South Africa. The deposit was brought into production and then sold to Kangra Coal.

Mineral Sand

Hillendale and Fairbreeze Mineral Sand deposits, South Africa

These deposits were the first fossil mineral sand deposits to be identified in Africa. The deposits were drilled and evaluated before being sold to the then Iscor. The deposits today provide feedstock for the Tronos Empangeni Smelter Complex in KZN.

Zircon

Kwale Rutile zircon mine, Kenya

Four fossil mineral sand deposits were discovered along the coast of Kenya. The Kwale deposit was rutile and zircon rich and is currently being mined by Base Minerals.

Ilmenite

Corridor Sands ilmenite deposit, Mozambique

This heavy mineral sand deposit inland from Xai Xai in Mozambique was discovered as a team effort by understanding the geological development of the East African coast. The deposit was drilled and evaluated to final feasibility stage before being sold to WMC/BHP. It is the world’s largest ilmenite deposit and currently being mined by Dingsheng Minerals.