 Carbon (Diamond) |
| South Africa contains commercially viable diamond deposits, it produced 2.7 million carats in 2003. It is estimated that South
Africa has reserves of around 150 million carats.
|
| Silicon |
| South Africa produced 140000 tons of silicon in 2006. World production of silicon in 2006 was 5.1 million tons. |
| Sulfur |
| In 2006, South Africa produced 643 thousand tonnes of sulfur. Total world production was 65.7 million tonnes. |
| Calcium |
| In 2006, South Africa produced approx. 240000 tonnes of fluorspar (CaF2). World production was around 5.5 million tonnes.
|
| Reserves of fluorspar in South Africa are thought to be 41 million tonnes. |
| South Africa's production of gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O) in 2006 was 554020 tonnes. World production of gypsum in 2006 was 142.5 millions tonnes.
|
| Titanium |
| In 2006, South Africa produced approx. 2 million tonnes, making it the third largest producer, of ilmenite (FeTiO3), and 121000 tonnes of rutile (TiO2), the only two commercially important titanium ores.
|
| Vanadium |
| In 2006, South Africa produced approx. 20000 tonnes, making it the world's second largest producer, with 32% of the world
total.
|
| Chromium |
| In 2006, South Africa produced 7.418 million tonnes of chromium ores and concentrates. Total worldwide production in 2006
was 19.2 million tonnes.
|
| Manganese |
| Over 80% of the known world manganese resources are to be found in South Africa and Ukraine. |
| Iron |
| South Africa's production of iron ore in 2006 was 41,326,036 tonnes. Total world production of iron ore in 2006 was 1.81 billion
tonnes.
|
| Production of pig iron in South Africa in 2006 was 7.914 million tonnes. Total world production of pig iron in 2006 was 925.8
million tonnes.
|
| Cobalt |
| In 2006, South Africa's mine production of cobalt was 267 tonnes. Total world production of cobalt from mining, in 2006, was
59000 tonnes.
|
| Nickel |
| South Africa's mine production of nickel in 2006 was 41599 tonnes. Worldwide mine production of nickel in 2006 was 1.526 million
tonnes.
|
| South Africa's combined smelter/refinery production of nickel in 2006 was 41600 tonnes. Worldwide smelter/refinery production
of nickel in 2006 was 1.337 million tonnes.
|
| Copper |
| In 2006, South Africa's production of copper by mining was 89700 tonnes, total world production was 15.1 million tonnes. |
| In 2006, South Africa produced 100300 tonnes of refined copper, total production of refined copper was 17.2 million tonnes. |
| Zirconium |
| In 2006, South Africa produced around 40600 tonnes of zircon (ZrSiO4), the main commercial source of zirconium, making it the world's second largest producer.
|
| Rhodium |
| In 2004 an estimated 22.4 tonnes of rhodium was produced. South Africa produced around 80% (~17.9 tonnes). |
| Palladium |
| In 2006, South Africa was the world's second largest producer of platinum by mining, with 86.265 tonnes. |
| The Merensky Reef of the Bushveld Igneous Complex of South Africa contains significant palladium in addition to other platinum
group elements.
|
| Antimony |
| In 2005 South Africa was the second biggest producer of antimony, with around 4% (6000 tonnes) of the world total. |
| Osmium |
| The largest known primary reserves of osmium are in the Bushveld igneous complex in South Africa. |
| Iridium |
| The largest known primary reserves of iridum are in the Bushveld igneous complex in South Africa. Annual world-wide production
in 2000 was around three tonnes.
|
| Platinum |
| In 2006, South Africa was the world's largest producer of platinum by mining, with 168.125 tonnes. |
| The rare sulfide mineral cooperite, (Pt,Pd,Ni)S, contains platinum along with palladium and nickel. Cooperite occurs in the
Merensky Reef within the Bushveld complex, Gauteng.
|
| Gold |
| In 2006, South Africa's mine production of gold was 272.128 tonnes. Total amount of gold mined in 2006 was 2310 tonnes. |
| The city of Johannesburg located in South Africa was founded as a result of the Witwatersrand Gold Rush which resulted in
the discovery of some of the largest gold deposits the world has ever seen. Gold fields located within the basin in the Free
State and Gauteng provinces are extensive in strike and dip requiring some of the world's deepest mines, with the Savuka and
TauTona mines being currently the world's deepest gold mine at 3,777 m.
|
| Lead |
| In 2006, South Africa produced 48273 tonnes of lead from mining. The total amount of lead mined in 2006 was 3.5 million tonnes. |
| In 2006, South Africa's production of refined lead was approx. 67000 tonnes. Total world production of refined lead in 2006
was 8 million tonnes.
|
| Thorium |
| It's believed that South Africa has reserves of around 100 tonnes of monazite, the primary thorium mineral. |
