The occurrence of the critical zone along the exposed southeastern sector of the eastern Bushveld Complex

Abstract

Research Article| December 01, 2007 The occurrence of the critical zone along the exposed southeastern sector of the eastern Bushveld Complex Mauritz VD Merwe Mauritz VD Merwe P.O. Box 213, Bathurst 6166, South Africa, e-mail: liz@themasons.co.za Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar South African Journal of Geology (2007) 110 (4): 617–630. https://doi.org/10.2113/gssajg.110.4.617 Article history first online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Mauritz VD Merwe; The occurrence of the critical zone along the exposed southeastern sector of the eastern Bushveld Complex. South African Journal of Geology 2007;; 110 (4): 617–630. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/gssajg.110.4.617 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietySouth African Journal of Geology Search Advanced Search Abstract Exploration for platinum-group elements along the southeastern sector of the eastern Bushveld Complex has led to the discovery of Transitional Unit and Upper Critical Zone lithologies which contain the important Merensky Reef and UG 2 layers on farms Kliprivier, Klipbankspruit, Houtenbek and Mapochsgronde, and Platreef-style mineralization near the base of the intrusion south of the Lagersdrift fault. The area, located in the Mpumalanga Province, constitutes one of the least-explored portions of the intrusion. Since the drilling programmes during 1967 to 1987 in the Kliprivier area and those in the vicinity of Bethal in 1970, this sector has received little attention, and its characteristics have gone largely undocumented because it was mined only for and considered a source of vanadiferous magnetite and dimension stone.The results of drilling in the Kliprivier area suggest that the UG 2 chromitite appears atypical, and grades are of low to medium quality with values up to 5.43 g/t 3PGE + Au over 2.17 metres. Most Merensky Reef intersections in this area are also atypical of those seen to the north. Intersections of sulphide-mineralized units in the Bethal area, that are believed to belong to the Upper and Lower Zones, were in the past not considered to be economically significant.The increased demand for platinum has led to renewed interest in the southern extensions of the eastern Bushveld Complex. This interest has probably also been triggered by the discoveries on the Everest South property (UG 2), just north of Kliprivier. Eurasia was the first of a group of middle-tier companies to obtain permission to investigate the area and to secure mineral rights on Kliprivier.This study presents new field, soil-geochemical, chemical, strontium-isotope, electron microprobe and geophysical data, which reveal the presence of the Upper Critical Zone along the basal contact of the mafic rocks with the Transvaal Supergroup. The geology of the area also shows some analogies to portions of the northern limb. A brief review of the estimates of inferred resources for the area is presented. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.