Presentations at International Conferences, with abstracts.

Moitsi, M.E. and Cairncross, B. (2014). Afwillite to Willemseite: biographical and mineralogical insights into South African type-minerals named after South Africans. Abstract. IMA 2014 - 21st General Meeting of the International Mineralogical Association, Sandton, Johannesburg.

Moitsi, M.E, Viljoen, K.S and Knoper, M. (2016). A geometallurgical study of the mineralised footwall to the Brakspruit facies of Merensky reef at the Lonmin Karee Pt mine, Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Abstract. IGC 2016- 35th International Geological Congress, Cape Town, South Africa.

Presentations at a Symposium

Moitsi, M.E, Viljoen, K.S and Knoper, M. (2016). A geometallurgical study of the mineralised footwall to the Brakspruit facies of Merensky reef at the Lonmin Karee Pt mine, Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Presented at Joint Applied Mineralogy for Resource Efficiency of Platinum Metals (AMREP) & DST&CIMERA Symposium, Mintek, Randburg, Johannesburg, 14-15 March 2018.

My current research is on the process mineralogical assessment of various UG2-ore types from Hossy, Rowland and Saffy Shafts of the Sibanye-Stillwater Marikana Operations, Northwest Province, Bushveld Complex with an emphasis on ore characterization and flotation performances. 

Various UG2 ore types exist at Sibanye-Stillwater Platinum Marikina Operations these include, normal UG2 ore with pegmatoidal feldspathic pyroxenite or anorthositic footwall, and UG2 ore associated with iron rich ultramafic pegmatite and late hydrothermal alteration. In addition, considerable lateral and vertical variations exist in the characteristics of the UG2 Chromitite layer. These differences pertain to the thickness of the layer, mineralogical composition (i.e. chromite and silicate composition), the vertical distribution of the platinum group elements, recovery and grade proportions of PGE, base metal sulphide and platinum group mineralogy; as well as association of iron-rich ultramafic pegmatite and alteration. The effects of these variations particularly that of late postmagmatic event (i.e. IRUPs and hydrothermal alteration) on the behaviour of UG2 ore during processing is still poorly understood. This has, therefore, resulted in uncertainty when dealing with processing the ore. 

The proposed study aims to provide detailed mineralogical and geological nature as well as metallurgical response of UG2 Chromitite Layer at the Hossy, Rowland and Saffy Shafts of the Sibanye-Stillwater Marikana Operations, including an evaluation of different ore mineralogy and texture types to flotation response, the identification of critical characteristics that have an influence on flotation performances and PGE recovery, and also gain the understanding of influence of iron-rich ultramafic pegmatite on the mineralogy and flotation response. This will be done to gain the insight into factors that influence the geology, ore mineralogy, milling behaviour, and flotation performances as well as platinum group metals recovery of the UG2 Chromitite layer at the Hossy, Rowland and Saffy Shafts of the Sibanye-Stillwater Marikana Operations.

Post-graduate students are encouraged to contact me should they want to become involved in my research endeavors.

• Applied Mineralogy
• Process Mineralogy 
• The Geometallurgy of various economic ore-types such as iron, manganese, copper-lead-zinc, platinum-bearing and gold-bearing ores
• Ore characterization particularly those of economic importance 
• Mineralogical and metallurgical (flotation) nature as well as response of platinum-bearing ores from the Bushveld Complex 
• Flotation behaviour of base metal sulphide and platinum group minerals.
• Mining and Economic Geology 
• Academic Literacies (particularly writing in disciplines and conventions of academic writing). 

Mineralogy 2614 (Second Year)

Practical Mineralogy 2612 (Second Year)

Advanced and Applied Mineralogy 6836 (Honours)