SOFS

Phase: Exploration
Mine Type: Underground

Tags: conglomerate uranium

Southern orange free state (SOFS) is situated in the Magisterial District Matjhabeng, near the towns of Welkom, Virginia and Theunissen, approximately 240km south-west of Johannesburg, in the Free State province of South Africa. The site is adjacent to Beatrix, and is accessed via the N1 highway between Johannesburg and Kroonstad and then via the R30. Geologically, it is located in the Free State Goldfield and will form part of the southernmost gold mine in the Witwatersrand Basin. The SOFS area includes: Wits Gold prospecting areas comprising the Bloemhoek and De Bron Merriespruit projects, which are separated by regional faulting.

History:

SOFS, in its current form, dates from April 2014 when Sibanye-Stillwater acquired Wits Gold. Sibanye-Stillwater is investigating the possibility of submitting a Section 102 application seeking consent from the Department of Mineral Resources to amend the Beatrix Mining Right by consolidating the Beatrix Mining Right, SOFS Mining Right and Prospecting Rights. Bloemhoek and De Bron Merriespruit are exploration projects and a c has been completed for De Bron Merriespruit but as yet no mining activities have been initiated. Historically, a total of 99 boreholes were drilled in the De Bron Merriespruit project area and estimation is in line with Sibanye-Stillwater standards and protocols. From 1947 to 2004, a total of 28 surface boreholes were drilled in the Bloemhoek project area. Most of this drilling was completed by Anglo American during the 1980s. Wits Gold acquired the property and data in 2004 and subsequently drilled a further four boreholes which culminated in a pre-feasibility study, completed in 2009, with a SAMREC Code (The South African Code for the Reporting of
the Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves) compliant Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Statement. Since then, two more exploration boreholes were drilled in 2017 to firm up the Mineral Resource model in the Bloemhoek area, north of the 3 Shaft complex decline extention. Beisa North has been proven to not be economically attractive at present. The prospecting right has lapsed. Subsequently, it has been decided to apply for further prospecting rights for the Beisa North area.