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Категория: Deposit
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Cooke is a large, established, shallow to intermediate-level gold mine which has been producing gold and uranium since 1961. Cooke underground operations are on care and maintenance. The surface mining is located in the West Rand District Municipality of the Gauteng province, South Africa. Cooke shafts are located approximately 30 km to 40 km south-west of Johannesburg.

The sites are accessed via the R28 highway between Randfontein and Westonaria or via the N12 national road between Johannesburg and Potchefstroom. The Randfontein Surface Operations (RSO) assets include several TSFs (Tailings storage facility) on the West Rand near Randfontein. The topography of the area is relatively flat and the vegetation is classified as Bankenveld consisting of grassland. Livestock farming is widespread in the surrounding area. The underground mine infrastructure, which is on care and maintenance, consists of four shaft complexes that previously mined open ground and pillars (white areas). Cooke 4, previously
operated at 1,634m below surface (58 Level at Cooke 4 SV Shaft) and was declared uneconomical for exploitation from August 2016. Cooke 1, 2 and 3 Shafts have also since been declared non-economical for exploitation. The decision was made to close the underground workings. The principal mining took place on the Middle and Upper Elsburg Reefs. The remainder of the mining took place on the secondary reefs, namely the Kimberly Formations and the VCR (Ventersdorp Contact Reef). The only production currently is from surface TSF. The production from the four Cooke shafts could
be hoisted to surface separately. Underground material from Cooke 1,2 and 3 was previously processed at the Doornkop plant, operated by Harmony Gold Mining Company Ltd (Harmony), on a toll treatment basis. Cooke 4 production and overflow from the Cooke 3 Shaft was treated at Ezulwini along with ore from SRDs (Surface rock dump) on a toll reatment basis.

Mineralisation characteristics

Auriferous and uraniferous palaeo-placer conglomerates, that are locally termed reefs. Laterally continuous with latively long-range predictability. Clear patterns of mineralisation governed by sedimentary characteristics.

Depositional environment

The palaeo-placer originated from a braided stream environment. The deposition was structurally controlled along a basinal edge.

Infrastructure

Four shaft complexes and two metallurgical plants used for treatment of TSF and SRD.

Mining method

Cooke 1,2 and 3: conventional scattered breast mining and pillar extraction. Hydraulic reclamation (water jets), gravity feed to sump pump station and pumped via pipeline to a processing plant. Dump, load and haul of SRD.

Mineral processing

Two gold processing plants (one external on a toll treatment arrangement). Uranium processing plant on care and maintenance at Ezulwini.

Data source: Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves Report 2017.

Gold Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves

On map