The Mineral Industry of South Africa in 2007
2007 Minerals Yearbook SOUTH AFRICA U.S. Department of the Interior March 2010 U.S. Geological Survey THE MINERAL INDUS T RY OF SOU T H AFRICA By Thomas R. Yager The Republic of South Africa remained one of the world’s Production leading mining and mineral-processing countries. In 2007, South Africa’s estimated share of world platinum production In 2007, pyrophyllite production increased by about 65%; amounted to 80%; kyanite, 56%; palladium, 40%; vanadium, flint clay, 57%; attapulgite, 39%; bentonite, 39%; chromite, 39%; chromite, 38%; vermiculite, 38%; zirconium, 33%; rutile, 30%; ferrosilicon, 28%; andalusite, 20%; ferrochromium, 18%; 25%; manganese, 20%; ilmenite, 19%; gold, 11%; fluorspar, manganese ore, 15%; granite, 13%; gypsum, 13%; refined 6%; antimony, 4%; nickel, 3%; aluminum, 2%; phosphate rock; zinc, 12%; and fluorspar, 11%. The output of mineral pigments 2%; and iron ore, 2%. The country’s estimated share of world decreased by 61%; mica, 47%; crude petroleum, 42%; slate, reserves of platinum-group metals (PGM) amounted to 89%; 31%; antimony, 23%; refined nickel, 18%; lead mine, 13%; salt, hafnium, 46%; zirconium, 37%; vanadium, 23%; manganese, 11%; and zinc mine, 10% (Martin Kohler, Deputy Director of 22%; rutile, 20%; fluorspar, 17%; gold, 14%; ilmenite, 9%; Statistics, Department of Minerals and Energy of the Republic phosphate rock, 8%; and nickel, 6% (Bray, 2008; Carlin, 2008; of South Africa, written commun., August 1, 2008). Corathers, 2008; Gambogi, 2008a, b; George, 2008a, b; Jasinski, 2008; Jorgenson, 2008; Kuck, 2008; Magyar, 2008; Miller, Structure of the Mineral Industry 2008; Papp, 2008; Potter, 2008a, b). Most of the South African mineral industry was privately Minerals in the National Economy owned.
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