844 
MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1978-79 
 
Ltd., and Cape Portland Cement Co. Ltd. 
 Fluorspar.—Output of fluorspar increased to new record production
levels in both 1978 and 1979 making South Africa one of the world's leading
producers and exporters of this commodity. Acid-grade fluorspar, containing
97% or more CaP2, accounted for about three-fourths of the total production
in 1978 and the proportion increased in 1979. Approximately 88% of total
fluorspar resources were concentrated primarily in the Transvaal, Zululand,
and northwestern Cape Province. In 1978 recoverable reserves were estimated
at 190 million tons of ore with an average grade of 25% CaF2, which can be
readily improved by flotation. 
 The largest producer of fluorspar was Marico Fluorspar (Pty.) Ltd., a subsidiary
of U.S. Steel Corp. Marico produced 120,000 tons per year of acid-grade fluorspar
and 50,000 tons per year of metallurgical-grade fluorspar at its operation
in Zeerust, Transvaal. Buffalo Fluorspar (Pty.) Ltd.1 a General Mining subsidiary,
was rated as the world's largest producer of acid-grade fluorspar at its
mine near Naboomspruit, which had a production capacity of 150,000 tons per
year. Other producers were Chemspar Ltd., a subsidiary of Phelps Dodge, Vergenoeg
Mining (Pty.) Ltd., owned by Bayer AG, and Ruigtepoort Fluorspar Mines (Pty.)
Ltd. 
 Gypsum.—.Production of gypsum declined from 1977 levels as both
local
sales and exports decreased. Domestic gypsum consumption declined owing to
a slump in the building industry. Gypsum occurred extensively in western
and northwestern Cape Province, in the Kimberley district of Orange Free
State, and in central Transvaal Province. Reserves were estimated at 85 million
tons. The largest producer was Gypsum Industries Ltd. with an annual production
capacity of 620,000 tons per year from three mines. 
 Phosphate.—The government-controlled Phosphate Development Corp.
Ltd.
(FOSKOR) accounted for most of the Republic's phosphate production from its
Palabora carbonatite deposit in northeastern Transvaal. Until 1979 FOSKOR's
production of concentrates containing more than 30% P205 came from three
sources: (1) Its own 8% to 9% P205 ore from its portion of the carbonatite
deposit it owned and mined jointly with PMC, which owned the rights to copper,
base metals, precious metals, and vermiculite, but not phosphate; (2) Copper-poor

overburden stripped by PMC in order to expose its copper ore; and (3) The
coarse fraction of PMC's tailings, which contained apatite and other phosphate
minerals ready for FOSKOR's treatment. Concurrently with PMC's major open
pit expansion plan, FOSKOR has also expanded its plant capacity to 3 million
tons per year and agreed to draw exclusively on PMC's piped tailings and
stockpiled overburden for its future ore requirements. FOSKOR continued to
sell most of its concentrate locally to Federale KCnsmis Ltd. (FEDMIS) and
Triomf Fertilizer (Pty.) Ltd., both of which manufactured phosphoric acid
for export. Both the 250,000-ton-per-year plant operated by FEDMIS at Palabora,
and the 500,000-ton-peryear Triomf plant at Richards Bay, were producing
below capacity. 
 Another producer of phosphate was GFSA's Glenover Phosphate Ltd. with total
output of about 75,000 tons of selective mine-run and hand-cobbed ore. Reserves
at Glenover's mine in Thabazinbi, Transvaal, were estimated at 10 million
tons of ore with an average content of 20% to 30% P205. Ore was sold locally
to Chemfos Ltd., a subsidiary of SAMANCOR. A feasibility study was being
conducted on mining vermiculite as a coproduct of phosphate at Thabazimbi.
SAMANCOR suspended operations at its Langebaan Phosphate works in Cape Province
early in 1978 owing to escalating costs and product surpluses in its traditional
marketing area. Production capacity was 250,000 tons per year of concentrate
sold primarily to the local market. 
 Vermiculite.—Vermiculite was produced as a byproduct from the
copper
operations of Palabora Mining Co. in northeastern Transvaal. The Republic
of South Africa was the world's second-largest producer of this commodity
and accounted for about one-third of world production. Both production and
sales value increased in 1978 but declined in 1979. The bulk of production
was exported chiefly to the United States and Western European countries
with only about 7,000 tons per year consumed locally. Palabora had an annual
production capacity of about 210,000 tons per year of vermiculite from its
open pit operation. Reserves were estimated at 75 million tons. 
 
MINERAL FUELS 
 
 CoaL—Coal was the nation's secondlargest mineral revenue earner
after
gold in 1978 and 1979, when total value increased to a new record high of
nearly $1.4 billion