Abstract
M.Sc. (Geology)
Within the Black Reef Formation, which forms the basal unit of the Transvaal Supergroup, an auriferous and uraniferous reef occurs. This is known as the Buckshot Pyrite Leader reef. This reef is a conglomerate-hosted gold and uranium deposit, which is similar to the Witwatersrand reefs as they both contain significant amounts of pyrite and have similar depositional environments. This study seeks to identify the geometallurgical characteristics of the gold uranium and thorium that are hosted in the Black Reef at the Modder East operation in Springs. In terms of methodology, a detailed petrographic study was completed on the samples taken from underground and the surface run of mine samples. Mineralogy was conducted on these samples using SEM-based automated technology, namely the FEI Mineral liberation analyser (MLA). Using this, I could further characterise the gold and uranium bearing phases found across the Black Reef. Additionally, mill testing, grading analysis, major and trace element chemistry, density separation, gold and uranium dissolution as well as flotation testing was conducted on the ore in order to determine its geometallurgical characteristics. Through the combination of these methods, this study aims to evaluate the Au, U and Th within the Black Reef with regards to: the metallurgy; the extraction process in relation to the mineralogy of the samples; and the possible implications that these factors could have on the overall recovery of the economic minerals.