Who we are
Witkop Fluorspar Mine is located near the town of Zeerust in the North West Province of South Africa. The mine forms part of the Sallies Industrial Minerals Group - a diversified Industrial Minerals group who mines, markets and distributes aggregates, dolomite, fluorspar, gypsum, limestone and silica quartz. www.sallies.co.za
Fluorspar mining has been taking place at Witkop since 1971. In 2015 the Sallies Industrial Minerals Group acquired Witkop and added dolomite to its product offering. With its established markets in the construction, agriculture and industrial sectors, sales volumes increased to around 500,000 metric tons per annum, adding substantial value to the operation.
What we offer
Witkop has been beneficiating the dolomite mine dumps and mining the existing quarry for dolomite for the agricultural and industrial markets. The fluorspar containing aggregates are sold as a unique product into the industrial- and construction markets.
Witkop Fluorspar mine started blasting for fluorspar containing mineral ore again in 2023.
What is Fluorspar
Fluorspar, also known as fluorite, is the mineral form of calcium fluoride. The fluorspar at Witkop Fluorspar Mine is found as a vein deposit in dolomite rock, but it can also be found as a constituent of sedimentary rocks.
Fluorspar, typically sold at 97% purity and commonly referred to as Acidspar, is one of the basic input raw materials for the production of numerous chemicals. These chemicals are utilised in the manufacturing of a wide range of final products. These include refrigerants and propellants, alluminium trifluoride, battery chemical components, semi-conductors, solar panels, fluoropolymers, plastics and enriched uranium for nuclear energy and medical applications.
Fluorspar at Witkop
The market for industrial fluorspar has recovered significantly since the early 2000's. New markets were also added with the advent of the new Green Economy and the resulting increased demand for renewable energy, as well as developments in computing and the looming Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Acidspar (fluorspar with calcium fluoride > 97%) with low critical impurities - so-called electronic grade fluorspar - is used to produce Anhydrous Hydrogen Fluoride (AHF). AHF is a crucial input in the development and manufacturing of solar panels, renewable batteries and semi-conductors, amongst others.
The fluorspar at Witkop Fluorspar Mine has some of the lowest critical impurities in the world and new veins of exceptionally high quality have been identified. With the new demand from the Green Economy and the computing industry, large scale fluorspar mining at Witkop Fluorspar Mine is once again viable.
Competent Persons Report
Sallies Industrial Minerals contracted Pivot Mining Consultants in 2022 to complete a Competent Persons Report (CPR) for a Mineral Resource Estimate in respect of fluorite-bearing deposits located on the mining rights held by Witkop Fluorspar Mine (Pty) Ltd.
The CPR, in compliance with the guidelines of the South African Code for the Reporting of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (The SAMREC Code, 2016), was formally signed-off and published in October 2023.
The following are key findings in the CPR:
- Economically extractable volume of 62.1 metric tons.
- Estimated life of mine > 50 years.
Approximately 50% of the entire resource is considered as “measured” whilst the other half is classified as indicated with medium to low risk.