South Africa boasts the largest deposits of gold, platinum, manganese and chromium as well as enormous deposits of diamonds, coal, copper, fluorite, vanadium, iron and uranium. Economic deposits of the following commodities contribute to the South African minerals industry and are listed below: Gold Sedimentary deposits (conglomerates) in the Witwatersrand basin as well as hydrothermal vein gold at Barberton is of importance as a financial indicator as well as for ornamental use. South Africa contributes approximately 23% of the world’s gold and is ranked as the number one producer.

The mineral chromite is the only commercial source of chromium. Chromite occurs as layers in the zones of the Bushveld Complex. South Africa ranks first in world chromium production (35% of world supply).

Economic deposits of PGE (platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and Bushveld Complex. South Africa contributes approximately 48% of the world’s PGE’s and is ranked as the number one producer.osmium) are associated with the chromitite layers of the

Three asbestiform varieties are present in South Africa, namely chrysotile (Barberton), crocidolite (Prieska) and amosite
(Penge). South Africa ranks seventh in world asbestos production (3% of world supply).

The Kalahari Manganese Field near Kuruman has the largest sedimentary deposit of manganese in the world. Other deposits also occur throuhout the Transvaal/ Griqualand West Supergroups. South Africa contibutes approximately 14% (manganese ore) and 10% ( ferromanganese) of the world’s manganese and ranks third as producer.

Iron deposits are associated with banded iron formations which include iron-rich clastic and chemical sediments Important deposits are situated in the Transvaal Supergroup and Griqualand West basin and mined at Postmasburg and Prieska. South Africa ranks eighth in world iron ore production (3% of world supply). Industrial minerals These important minerals are often overlooked, but play an important role in a variety of applications. Approximately 27 different industrial minerals can be produced locally and 18 are exported. These include phosphate, andulasite, vermiculite (number one producer world-wide) and fluorspar. South Africa has the largest known reserves of fluorspar in the world, but they are of low quality. The minerals industry in South Africa faces major challenges to ensure a stable supply of labour and to generate foreign earnings.