Name of the Mine
Sheba mine.

Location  
The Barberton greenstone belt (BGB), in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Mine Owner/s  
Midtier Africa gold producer Pan African Resources.

Brief Description  
Sheba forms part of an underground mining complex comprising adits and subvertical shaft systems at the Barberton Mines.

Brief History  
Sheba mine is recognised as one of the oldest working gold mines in the world, having started its operations in 1885, according to the earliest available records, Pan African Resources states.

Primary Metals/Minerals  
Gold.

Secondary Metals/Minerals  
None stated.

Geology/Mineralisation  
The Sheba section straddles the contact between the arenites of the Moodies Group to the north (Eureka syncline) and the Fig Tree Group’s greywacke and shale to the south (Ulundi syncline) similar to the stratigraphic occurrence of the adjacent Fairview mine. The contact is marked by the presence of the regionally identifiable Sheba fault. The two synclines are refolded as a result of the immense force present during the deformation events, resulting in back-to-back isoclines that dip steeply to the south. Tight isoclinal, thrust fault-related anticlines of the Onverwacht Group schist (Zwartkoppie formation) occur within the Fig Tree Group’s greywacke.

Mineralisation occurs in orogenic greenstone-hosted hydrothermal-type deposits and is typically controlled by regional geological structures such as main fault and shear zones. The zones are well defined within the globally recognised BGB.

Mineralisation is typically continuous in the short- to medium-range on strike, with long-range geological and grade continuity down-dip. Gold occurs in either vein-hosted ore lode deposits or as free-milling gold associated with fine-grained sulphides, mainly pyrite and arsenopyrite.

Reserves  
Total proven and probable reserves as at June 30, 2024, were estimated at 820 000 t grading 3.7 g/t gold.

Resources  
As at June 30, 2024, mineral resources were estimated at 1.17-million tonnes grading 7.9 g/t gold.

Type of Mine
Underground.

Mining Method  
Sheba mine has adopted an up-dip mining method to minimise dilution in its narrow orebodies, consequently enhancing ore recovery. This is a significant improvement over the previous cut-and-fill approach. Additionally, the mine has increased the use of trackless mining machinery, improving operational efficiency and production levels.

Major Infrastructure/Equipment  
Ore is transported through the shaft system to the Sheba metallurgical plant, which has a capacity of 11 000 t/month. Here the ore is crushed and milled, gravity gold is separated and sulphides are floated. The gravity concentrate is smelted in the Fairview smelt house. 

The implementation of electronic radio-frequency waste and reef tagging systems at the Fairview and Sheba mines allows for real-time ore tracking from underground to the processing plant. The flotation concentrate is transported to the Fairview BIOX section for further processing. The BIOX process is an environment-friendly method that uses naturally occurring micro-organisms to release gold from sulphide (refractory) minerals. 

In future, this ore can be transferred to Barberton Mines’ Fairview mine through the establishment of an underground connection between 23 Level at Sheba and 38 Level at Fairview.

Prospects  
Ongoing exploration and reserve-definition drilling are conducted to delineate the extent of the mineralisation and continuously upgrade the estimated mineral resources to mineral reserves.

Contact Details 
Pan African Resources
Tel +27 11 243 2900
Email info@paf.co.za
Website https://www.panafricanresources.com/