Database name: |
World Fe-oxide+/-Cu-Au-U (IOCG) deposits |
Compilers: |
Sunil S. Gandhi |
Release date: |
2015-03-04 |
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Deposit name(s): |
Palabora (mine name); Phaloborwa (locality name); Loolekop |
Political location(s): |
South Africa; Province or state: Limpopo Province; Nearest community: Phalaborwa |
Deposit clan (type): |
Phalaborwa-type |
Deposit (sub) types: |
intrusion-hosted; in late stage carbonatite phase of the intrusion; at the core of the intrusive complex; Reference: Verwoerd, W. J., 1993: Update on carbonatites of South Africa and Namibia; South African Journal of Geology, Volume 96, p. 75 - 95 |
Deposit status: |
producer; Size category: 1 billion tonnes; Status comments: Open pit started in 1966; reached bottom at 760 m in 2001; underground operation 2002-2022; ore exends to 1480 m, grades Cu 0.7 %; byproducts P, Zr, vermiculite, REE, Fe-Ti, phlogopite, U, Th. |
Geologic province: |
Kaapval Craton |
Deposit object located: |
open pit |
Commodities: |
Cu; vermiculite; Fe; Zr; U; P; phlogopite; Au; REE; Ag; Pt; Pd; Ni; S; Th |
Mineralization styles: |
dissemination; veins; fracture-fillings |
Geological ages: |
Middle Paleoproterozoic (host rocks) |
Tectonic setting: |
continental craton-intracratonic; stable (host rocks) |
Coincident features: |
joints (concentric vertical joints of weakness) |
Regional tectonic structure: |
circular zoned intrusion with ultramafic core surrounded by alkaline rocks (emplaced in Archean craton) Tectonic structure name: Phalaborwa Intrusion |
Host rocks: |
(1) intrusive; carbonatite-lamprophyre association (concentrically zoned intrusion); Magma series/sedimentary package/metamorphic group: peralkaline; Depositional setting: continental; Metamorphic grade: noneExternal host rock forms: | crystalline, coarse | Internal host rock structures: | veins and segregations | Individual lithologies: | carbonatite syenite carbonatite foskorite | Host rock stratigraphy: | Loolekop pegmatoid |
(2) intrusive; ultramafic suite; Magma series/sedimentary package/metamorphic group: alkalineExternal host rock forms: | stock multiphase intrusion | Individual lithologies: | pyroxenite | Host rock stratigraphy: | Palabora Igneous Complex |
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Related igneous rocks: |
(1) intrusive; ultramafic suite (Pyroxenite); Initials: Phalborwa complex; Magma series: alkaline; Depositional setting: continental (2) intrusive; syenite-syenogabbro suite (syenitic ); Magma series: syenite |
Metallogenic signatures: |
Cu apatite REE U Th |
Mineralogy: |
(mineralization): chalcopyrite, bornite, magnetite (titaniferous), apatite, phlogopite, vermiculite, baddeleyite, cubanite, valleriite, uranothorianite, pentlandite, gold, silver, platinum, palladium, chalcocite |
Radiometric ages: |
Object dated: Host Rocks(1); Age - Ma: 2,047; +11; -8; Dating method: U-Pb; Concentrate: baddeleyite, U-thorianite; Source rock: carbonatite and phoscorite; Event dated: host rock; Interpretive comment: Carbonatite and phoscorite are late stage intrusions in pyroxenite-syenite phases of the complex; Reference: Eriksson, S. C., 1984: Age of carbonatite and phoscorite magmatism of the Phalaborwa complex (South Africa); Isotope Geoscience (Chemical Geology), Volume 2, p. 291 - 299 |
Deposit shape: |
pipe-like |
References: |
Aldous, R., 1986 |
Copper-rich fluid inclusions in pyroxenes from the Guide Copper Mine, a satellite intrusion of the Palabora Complex, South Africa |
Economic Geology, Volume 81, p. 143 - 155 |
De Jager, D. H., 1989 |
Phosphate resources in the Palabora Igneous Complex, Transvaal, South Africa |
in Phosphate Deposits of the World, 2., Edited by Nosholt, A. J. G.; Sheldon, R. P.; Davidson, D. F., Cambridge University Press, p. 267 - 272 |
Eriksson, S. C., 1984 |
Age of carbonatite and phoscorite magmatism of the Phalaborwa complex (South Africa) |
Isotope Geoscience (Chemical Geology), Volume 2, p. 291 - 299 |
Eriksson, S. C., 1989 |
Phalaborwa: a saga of magmatism, metasomatismnd miscibility |
in Carbonatites: Genesis and Evolution, Edited by Bell, K., Unwin Hyman, London, p. 221 - 254 |
Fourie, P. J. ; De Jager, D. H., 1986 |
Phosphate in Phalaborwa complex |
in Mineral Deposits of Southern Africa, II, Edited by Anhaeusser, C. R.; Maske, S., Geological Society of Southern Africa, Geological Society of South Africa, Johannesburg, p. 2239 - 2253 |
Leroy, A. J., 1992 |
Palabora - not just another Copper Mine |
Minerals Industry International, March 1992 issue, p. 14 |
Moore, A. C., 1984 |
Orbicular rhythmic layering in the Palabora carbonatite, South Africa |
Geological Magazine, Volume 121, p. 53 - 60 |
Richards, T., 1995 |
Palabora Igneous Complex, South Africa |
The Gangue, July 1995 issue, p. 1 |
Verwoerd, W. J., 1986 |
Mineral deposits associated with carbonatites and alkaline rocks |
in Mineral Deposits of Southern Africa, II, Edited by Anhaeusser, C. R.; Maske, S., Geological Society of Southern Africa, Geological Society of South Africa, Johannesburg, p. 2173 - 2191 |
Verwoerd, W. J., 1993 |
Update on carbonatites of South Africa and Namibia |
South African Journal of Geology, Volume 96, p. 75 - 95 |
von Backstrom, J. W.; Jacob, R. E., 1979 |
Uranium in South Africa and South West Africa (Namibia) |
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Volume 291, p. 307 - 319 |
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Resource data: |
Disclaimer - Reserves/Resource Data
Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Natural Resources (NRCan) does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, completeness or fitness for any purpose of Reserve and Resource information (Data) contained in this database, including whether the Data is compliant with any securities regulations or standards, and NRCan does not assume any liability with respect to any damage or loss incurred as a result of the use made of the Data.
Resource and reserve figures are historical in nature. The Data source provided with each set of figures should be cited if the Data are re-reported. |
Estimate date: 2006-12-31; Component: underground operation; 117.8 million metric tons ore; Combined with production?: no; Provisional entry?: no; Resource category: proven reserveGrade-commodity information: | Cu: 0.64 percent | Cutoff grade-commodity: | Cu: 0.5 percent | Reference: Anonymous, 2007: Palabora Mining Company Limited Annual Report 2006; Annual Report, Palabora Mining Company Limited, 88 p. Percent weights allocated to deposit: 100.0%
Estimate date: 2006-12-31; Component: pit; 38.9 million metric tons ore; Combined with production?: no; Provisional entry?: no; Resource category: proven+probable reserveWeight-commodity information: | vermiculite: 14 million metric tons | Reference: Anonymous, 2007: Palabora Mining Company Limited Annual Report 2006; Annual Report, Palabora Mining Company Limited, 88 p. Percent weights allocated to deposit: 100.0%
Estimate date: 2006-12-31; Component: Copper mixed stockpiles; 0.44 million metric tons ore; Combined with production?: no; Provisional entry?: no; Resource category: measured resourceGrade-commodity information: | Cu: 0.5 percent | Reference: Anonymous, 2007: Palabora Mining Company Limited Annual Report 2006; Annual Report, Palabora Mining Company Limited, 88 p. Percent weights allocated to deposit: 100.0%
Estimate date: 2006-12-31; Component: Copper oxide stockpiles; 4.16 million metric tons ore; Combined with production?: no; Provisional entry?: no; Resource category: measured resourceGrade-commodity information: | Cu: 0.64 percent | Reference: Anonymous, 2007: Palabora Mining Company Limited Annual Report 2006; Annual Report, Palabora Mining Company Limited, 88 p. Percent weights allocated to deposit: 100.0%
Estimate date: 2007-12-31; Component: Copper sulphide stockpiles; 12 million metric tons ore; Combined with production?: no; Provisional entry?: no; Resource category: measured resourceGrade-commodity information: | Cu: 0.14 percent |
Percent weights allocated to deposit: 100.0% |