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Palabora mine, Loolekop, Phalaborwa, Limpopo Province, South Africa

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A copper-apatite-vermiculite mine located near Phalaborwa in the NE Transvaal. Apatite production occurred 1932-1934. Vermiculite production began 1946. Copper mining commenced 1965 and was fully operational by 1967. Ore is in the Palabora carbonatite complex. The largest open pit mine in South Africa. Owned by Palabora Mining Company, Ltd.; RTZ (Manager).

Ref.: (in part):
Mining Annual Review (1985): 411.

Gliddon, J.P and Braithwaite, R.S.W. (1991) "Zeolites and Associated Minerals from the Palabora Mine Transvaal. Min. Rec. 22 (4) pp255-262





 Map Reference: 23°59'S , 31°4'E

This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.



Mineral List:
  		•  Aegirine
    NaFe
    3+
     
    		[Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    6
    		]
    Reference: []
  		•  Analcime
    Na
     
    2
    		[Al
     
    2
    		Si
     
    4
    		O
     
    12
    		] · 2H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: [Gliddon, J. P. and Braithwaite, R. S. (1991) - Zeolites and associated minerals from the Palabora mine, Transvaal (Afrique du Sud), Mineralogical Record, 22 (4), 255-262.]
  		•  Antigorite
    (Mg,Fe
    2+
     
    		)
     
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    4
    		|Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    5
    		]
    Reference: [Minerals of South Africa]
  		•  Apatite-(CaF)
    Ca
     
    5
    		[F|(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    3
    		]
    Reference: [Gliddon, J. P. and Braithwaite, R. S. (1991) - Zeolites and associated minerals from the Palabora mine, Transvaal (Afrique du Sud), Mineralogical Record, 22 (4), 255-262.]
  		•  Apophyllite-(KF)
    KCa
     
    4
    		[(F,OH)|Si
     
    8
    		O
     
    20
    		] · 8H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: [No reference listed]
    Site Photo
    Palabora mine, Loolekop, Phalaborwa, Limpopo Province, South Africa
    © 2008 Jesse Crawford
  		•  Baddeleyite
    ZrO
     
    2
    Reference: [No reference listed]
  		•  Baryte
    BaSO
     
    4
    Reference: [Minerals of South Africa]
  		•  Biotite
    Reference: [Gliddon, J. P. and Braithwaite, R. S. (1991) - Zeolites and associated minerals from the Palabora mine, Transvaal (Afrique du Sud), Mineralogical Record, 22 (4), 255-262.]
  		•  Bornite
    Cu
     
    5
    		FeS
     
    4
    Reference: []
  		•  Brucite
    Mg(OH)
     
    2
    Reference: [Minerals of South Africa]
    Site Photo
    Palabora mine, Loolekop, Phalaborwa, Limpopo Province, South Africa
    © Rob Lavinsky
  		•  Calcite
    CaCO
     
    3
    Reference: [No reference listed]
  		•  Celestine
    SrSO
     
    4
    Reference: [Minerals of South Africa]
  		•  'Chabazite'
    Reference: [Gliddon, J. P. and Braithwaite, R. S. (1991) - Zeolites and associated minerals from the Palabora mine, Transvaal (Afrique du Sud), Mineralogical Record, 22 (4), 255-262.]
  		•  Chalcocite
    Cu
     
    2
    		S
    Reference: []
  		•  Chalcopyrite
    CuFeS
     
    2
    Reference: []
  		•  Chondrodite
    (Mg,Fe
    2+
     
    		)
     
    5
    		[(F,OH)
     
    2
    		|(SiO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		]
    Reference: [Minerals of South Africa]
    Site Photo
    Palabora mine, Loolekop, Phalaborwa, Limpopo Province, South Africa
    © 1995-2001 Trinity Mineral Co.
  		•  Clinochlore
    (Mg,Fe
    2+
     
    		)
     
    5
    		Al[(OH)
     
    8
    		|AlSi
     
    3
    		O
     
    10
    		]
    Reference: [No reference listed]
  		•  Covellite
    CuS
    Reference: []
  		•  Cubanite
    CuFe
     
    2
    		S
     
    3
    Reference: []
  		•  Cuprite
    Cu
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: []
  		•  Datolite
    CaB[OH|SiO
     
    4
    		]
    Reference: [Gliddon, J. P. and Braithwaite, R. S. (1991) - Zeolites and associated minerals from the Palabora mine, Transvaal (Afrique du Sud), Mineralogical Record, 22 (4), 255-262.]
  		•  Dolomite
    CaMg(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    Reference: [Minerals of South Africa]
  		•  Fluoborite
    Mg
     
    3
    		[(F,OH)
     
    3
    		|BO
     
    3
    		]
    Reference: [No reference listed]
    Site Photo
    Palabora mine, Loolekop, Phalaborwa, Limpopo Province, South Africa
    © C.Boutry
  		•  Galena
    PbS
    Reference: []
  		•  Geikielite
    MgTiO
     
    3
    Reference: [Minerals of South Africa]
  		•  Gold
    Au
    Reference: []
  		•  Gold
    var: Electrum
    (Au, Ag)
    Reference: []
  		•  'Heulandite'
    Reference: [Gliddon, J. P. and Braithwaite, R. S. (1991) - Zeolites and associated minerals from the Palabora mine, Transvaal (Afrique du Sud), Mineralogical Record, 22 (4), 255-262.]
  		•  Hydrotalcite
    Mg
     
    6
    		Al
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    16
    		|CO
     
    3
    		] · 4H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: [Minerals of South Africa]
  		•  Ilmenite
    Fe
    2+
     
    		TiO
     
    3
    Reference: []
  		•  Iowaite
    Mg
     
    4
    		Fe(OH)
     
    8
    		OCl·4H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: [Minerals of South Africa]
    Site Photo
    Palabora mine, Loolekop, Phalaborwa, Limpopo Province, South Africa
    © Trinity Minerals
  		•  Laumontite
    CaAl
     
    2
    		Si
     
    4
    		O
     
    12
    		·4H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: [Gliddon, J. P. and Braithwaite, R. S. (1991) - Zeolites and associated minerals from the Palabora mine, Transvaal (Afrique du Sud), Mineralogical Record, 22 (4), 255-262.]
  		•  Linnaeite
    Co
    2+
     
    		Co
    3+
    2
    		S
     
    4
    Reference: []
  		•  Mackinawite
    (Fe,Ni)
     
    9
    		S
     
    8
    Reference: []
  		•  Magnesite
    MgCO
     
    3
    Reference: []
  		•  Magnetite
    Fe
    2+
     
    		Fe
    3+
    2
    		O
     
    4
    Reference: [No reference listed]
    Site Photo
    Palabora mine, Loolekop, Phalaborwa, Limpopo Province, South Africa
    © Karl Volkman04/05
  		•  Malachite
    Cu
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
    Reference: []
  		•  Marcasite
    FeS
     
    2
    Reference: []
  		•  Mesolite
    Na
     
    2
    		Ca
     
    2
    		[Al
     
    2
    		Si
     
    3
    		O
     
    10
    		]
     
    3
    		 · 8H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: [No reference listed]
    Site Photo
    Palabora mine, Loolekop, Phalaborwa, Limpopo Province, South Africa
    © 2008 Jesse Crawford
  		•  Millerite
    NiS
    Reference: []
  		•  Natrolite
    Na
     
    2
    		[Al
     
    2
    		Si
     
    3
    		O
     
    10
    		] · 2H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: [Gliddon, J. P. and Braithwaite, R. S. (1991) - Zeolites and associated minerals from the Palabora mine, Transvaal (Afrique du Sud), Mineralogical Record, 22 (4), 255-262.]
  		•  Naumannite
    Ag
     
    2
    		Se
    Reference: [Minerals of South Africa]
  		•  'Olivine'
    (Mg,Fe
    2+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		[SiO
     
    4
    		]
    Reference: []
  		•  Pectolite
    NaCa
     
    2
    		[HSi
     
    3
    		O
     
    9
    		]
    Reference: [Gliddon, J. P. and Braithwaite, R. S. (1991) - Zeolites and associated minerals from the Palabora mine, Transvaal (Afrique du Sud), Mineralogical Record, 22 (4), 255-262.]
  		•  Pentlandite
    (Fe,Ni)
     
    9
    		S
     
    8
    Reference: []
  		•  Phlogopite
    KMg
     
    3
    		[(OH,F)
     
    2
    		|AlSi
     
    3
    		O
     
    10
    		]
    Reference: [Minerals of South Africa]
  		•  Prehnite
    Ca
     
    2
    		Al
     
    2
    		Si
     
    3
    		O
     
    12
    		(OH)
    Reference: [Gliddon, J. P. and Braithwaite, R. S. (1991) - Zeolites and associated minerals from the Palabora mine, Transvaal (Afrique du Sud), Mineralogical Record, 22 (4), 255-262.]
  		•  Pyrite
    FeS
     
    2
    Reference: [Gliddon, J. P. and Braithwaite, R. S. (1991) - Zeolites and associated minerals from the Palabora mine, Transvaal (Afrique du Sud), Mineralogical Record, 22 (4), 255-262.]
  		•  Pyrite
    var: Bravoite
    (Fe,Ni)S
     
    2
    Reference: []
  		•  Pyrrhotite
    Fe
     
    7
    		S
     
    8
    		, (-4M), also given as Fe
     
    1-x
    		S (x = 0 - 0.2)
    Reference: []
  		•  Quartz
    SiO
     
    2
    Reference: [Gliddon, J. P. and Braithwaite, R. S. (1991) - Zeolites and associated minerals from the Palabora mine, Transvaal (Afrique du Sud), Mineralogical Record, 22 (4), 255-262.]
  		•  Saponite
    Ca
     
    0.25
    		(Mg,Fe)
     
    3
    		(Si,Al)
     
    4
    		O
     
    10
    		(OH)
     
    2
    		·nH
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: [Gliddon, J. P. and Braithwaite, R. S. (1991) - Zeolites and associated minerals from the Palabora mine, Transvaal (Afrique du Sud), Mineralogical Record, 22 (4), 255-262.]
  		•  Scolecite
    Ca[Al
     
    2
    		Si
     
    3
    		O
     
    10
    		] · 3H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: [No reference listed]
  		•  'Serpentine Group'
    D
     
    2
    		[Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    5
    		](OH)4 + or - nH
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: []
  		•  Siegenite
    from CoNi
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    		 to NiCo
     
    2
    		S
     
    4
    Reference: [Minerals of South Africa]
  		•  Sphalerite
    (Zn,Fe
    2+
     
    		)S
    Reference: []
  		•  Stilbite-Ca
    NaCa
     
    4
    		[Al
     
    9
    		Si
     
    27
    		O
     
    72
    		] · nH
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: [Gliddon, J. P. and Braithwaite, R. S. (1991) - Zeolites and associated minerals from the Palabora mine, Transvaal (Afrique du Sud), Mineralogical Record, 22 (4), 255-262.]
  		•  Talnakhite
    Cu
     
    9
    		(Fe,Ni)
     
    8
    		S
     
    16
    Reference: [Minerals of South Africa]
  		•  Tetrahedrite
    (Cu,Fe,Ag,Zn)
     
    12
    		Sb
     
    4
    		S
     
    13
    Reference: []
  		•  Thomsonite-Ca
    NaCa
     
    2
    		[Al
     
    5
    		Si
     
    5
    		O
     
    20
    		] · 6H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: [Gliddon, J. P. and Braithwaite, R. S. (1991) - Zeolites and associated minerals from the Palabora mine, Transvaal (Afrique du Sud), Mineralogical Record, 22 (4), 255-262.]
  		•  Thorianite
    ThO
     
    2
    Reference: []
  		•  Thorianite
    var: Uranothorianite
    (Th,U)O
     
    2
    Reference: []
  		•  Valleriite
    (Fe
    2+
     
    		,Cu)
     
    4
    		(Mg,Al)
     
    3
    		[(OH,O)
     
    6
    		|S
     
    4
    		]
    Reference: [MinRec 9:114]
  		•  Vermiculite
    (Mg,Fe,Al)
     
    3
    		(Al,Si)
     
    4
    		O
     
    10
    		(OH)
     
    2
    		·4H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: []
  		•  Violarite
    Fe
    2+
     
    		Ni
    3+
    2
    		S
     
    4
    Reference: []
  		•  Xonotlite
    Ca
     
    6
    		Si
     
    6
    		O
     
    17
    		(OH)
     
    2
    Reference: [Minerals of South Africa]
  		•  Zirconolite
    CaZrTi
     
    2
    		O
     
    7
    Reference: []
  		•  Zirconolite
    var: Niobozirconolite
    Reference: [No reference listed]
  		•  Zirkelite
    (Ti,Ca,Zr)O
     
    2-x
    Reference: [No reference listed]
    Site Photo
    Palabora mine, Loolekop, Phalaborwa, Limpopo Province, South Africa
     


    69 entries listed. 60 valid minerals.

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