These gold fields dominated production throughout the twentieth century, but production peaked at … Accompanied by walking stick in which map was attached to. However neither have come close to the size of the Witwatersrand. A brief overview of the history and development of Witwatersrand, the famous gold mine of South Africa. The actual gold deposits themselves are quite thin and the surrounding rock matrix is very hard. Finally, the area was preserved when a massive meteorite hit and formed the Vredefort dome. The Libanon Gold Mine is in Gauteng, South Africa. As mentioned, the deposits are can be very, very deep. Another find by Pieter Jacob Marais was recorded in 1853 on the Jukskei River, but was subject to similar secrecy. The first discovery of gold in the region is recorded as being in 1852 in the Pardekraal farm by J.H. These are currently being re-processed to extract the remaining gold. Legends in English and Afrikaans. The evidence for this is the presence of extremely rich gold grades associated with carbonaceous horizons, the varying richness of the conglomerate beds and the complex suite of elements co-deposited with the gold. Located in South Africa, the Witwatersrand Basin represents the richest gold field ever discovered. The gold fields of the Witwatersrand Basin in South Africa are, by a landslide, the largest single gold producing district in the world. Text on verso (English and Afrikaans) details unfolding events in a narrative titled: "Twenty-four Hours on a Witwatersrand Gold Mine." The Witwatersrand Nigel Gold Mine is near Springs, South Africa. Panel title. , Share Builders were very busy. The entire series of rocks, known as the "Witwatersrand Supergroup," consists of very hard erosion resistant quartzites, banded ironstones and some marine lava deposits, interspersed with softer, more easily eroded tillites, mudstones and conglomerates. Chapters 19, 21 (Book), Kirk et al. Col. ill. and maps of "Pretoria, 1:21,400" and "Johannesburg, 1:21,400" on verso. Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (Great Britain), Radefeld, Carl Christian Franz, 1788-1874. The conglomerates are rich in pyrite (iron sulfide) pebbles and uraninite (uranium oxide) pointing to an anoxic atmosphere. It is the presence of these spectacular waterfalls that has given the scarp its … Sign Up for the Precious Metals Digest Sign Up  Andrew's experience covers all aspects of the resource venture capital from project evaluation, IPO's, fundraising, investor relations, cartography, technical report writing, exploration program design, with an applied expertise in mineral exploration in porphyry copper deposits, Athabasca unconformity uranium deposits, RIRG's (reduced intrusive related gold) deposits and layered mafic intrusion Ni-Cu-PGM deposits. Evidence for this is the dendritic appearance of some of the gold nuggets, and lack of gold in the proposed source rock preserved in the placer deposits. At a first glance, the Witwatersrand basin, the largest known gold resource on our planet, is not automatically related to ocean research. Though there were smaller mining operations in the region, it wasn’t until 1884 and the subsequent 1886 discovery at Langlaagte that the Witwatersrand gold rush got under way in ea… A map showing the distribution of coal and Witwatersrand Basin gold deposits. Shafts go down some 3,900 meters be… entworfen und gezeichnet von C. F. Weiland. A final hypothesis is of bio-chemical precipitation.  The oldest rocks (laid down 2.97 billion years … In: Goldfarb RJ, Nielsen RL (eds) Integrated methods for discovery: global exploration in the twenty-first century. Witwatersrand goldfield, South Africa : The Witwatersrand is a large basin of metamorphosed conglomerates that forms the greatest goldfield in the world. o How gold is mined. Make sense of mining company investments. o The Randlords and the formation of the Chamber of Mines. This pushed up a core area but pulled the surrounding crust down and protected the basin from erosion. Delfstofkaart van die Unie van Suid-Afrika." Share on He sold £600 of gold to the Transvaal Treasury and was subsequently ordered to leave the country. Production does not come easy though. The Company plans to transition to a mid-tier gold producer from its flagship project in the Central Rand Goldfield of South Africa, the Witwatersrand … Special map accompanying Richmond's South African All Mining Year Book illustrating the location of Mines, Quarries and Works. DWAF Water for Growth & Development Framework Ver 7, 2009: “present and immediate” threat in the central and western basins of the Witwatersrand mine systems that requires “urgent intervention” “As a consequence of the absence of operational pumping facilities, the Central Basin has flooded to within 900m of the surface, threatening the “Witwatersrand Metallogenesis: The Case For (Modified) Syngenesis” (. The Witwatersrand Supergroup contains more uranium than gold and the Witwatersrand gold mines are in fact also uranium mines. . The collection contains record books originating from the former gold mines Robinson Deep Gold Mining Company, Luipaardsvlei Estate and Gold Mining Company, Rietfontein Consolidated Mines and few unidentified.  general location on regional map) Given that the Witwatersrand gold deposits outcrop over a very wide area either side of Johannesburg the goldfield is commonly divided into three districts; namely Central, Eastern and Western. As of yet there is no consensus, but further research will yield new insights into this fascinating phenomena. See the results of your search on the right side. As time passed, the tents disappeared and people began to build houses, offices and shops. Wall map. Witwatersrand Consolidated Gold Resources Phone and Map of Address: 70 Fox St, Marshalltown, Gauteng, 2001, South Africa, Johannesburg, Business Reviews, Consumer Complaints and Ratings for Gold Mines in Johannesburg. The consolidated Gold Fields of south Africa, Limited 1 : 60000 In this hypothesis, gold was “caught” and precipitated out in microbial mats as it was transported by the rivers. All of the data can be downloaded for further use and analysis. Andrew Watson is the principal of Anterrra Consulting, which provides strategic advice, project generation, investor relations services and digital data management services to clients in Mining, Junior Exploration and Oil and Gas. Check flight prices and hotel availability for your visit. Evidence for this comes from the facts that the gold is older than the host rock, the gold is found almost exclusively in the conglomerates and some gold shows a flattened, circular appearance, indicative of water transport. The gold fields of the Witwatersrand Basin in South Africa are, by a landslide, the largest single gold producing district in the world. Frimmel HE, Minter WEL (2002) Recent developments concerning the geological history and genesis of the Witwatersrand gold deposits, South Africa. Initial production took place in 1940 and overall output was considered to be medium size. 2. The basin was then overlain by the “Ventersdorp and Transvaal supergroups” (see map below) which buried the gold-bearing sequence under 23 kilometres of sediments and volcanic rocks. Novo Resources is working on paleoplacer projects in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, while Inventus has a project in the Huronian Basin near Sudbury, Canada. You can scroll down to find more maps of this location. This curve is called the Witwatersrand, the Rand for short. With photos, facts, and figures about its impact on the growth of the region, the history of precious metals in the area, and the people that have mined the gold from the ground, even up to today. To view a schematic overview of each of these zones click the appropriate map Mine operations consist of 2 distinct underground workings. Introduction The gold fields of the Witwatersrand Basin in South Africa are, by a landslide, the largest single gold producing… Part 1, Great Deposits – Grasberg Part 3 – Mining and Engineering, Great Deposits – Slovakia’s Banská Štiavnica Mining District, John Reed’s Doorstop: America’s First Gold Rush was Not in California, CuEq Metal Equivalent Calculator for Mining Results, Cigar Lake Mine: the World’s Largest Uranium Producer, Bathurst Mining Camp: One of the World’s Great Base Metal Districts, Geology of the PGE Deposits in the Bushveld Complex, South Africa, Emerald Heart of Africa: The Kagem Mine, Kafubu Mining Area, Zambia. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Mineral Resources Data System catalogs information about mineral resources around the United States and the world. It has produced some 2 billion ounces over a century of mining and at an average grade of 15 g/t Au with a current head grade of 6-10 g/t Au and they still have estimated reserves of some 1,161 billion ounces (36,000 tonnes). These instructions will show you how to find historical maps online. Although a rare exploration target, junior exploration companies Novo Resources and Inventus Mining have paleoplacers related projects. Its name means “Ridge of White Waters.” The highland, which forms the watershed between the Vaal and Limpopo rivers, is about 62 miles (100 km) long and 23 miles (37 km) wide; its average elevation is about 5,600 Get directions, maps, and traffic for Witwatersrand Gold Mining, Gauteng. o Conditions underground. [Pretoria] : Department of Mines, Union of South Africa. Old Gold: An Introduction to Archean Greenstone Belts, SEDEX: The Biggest Lead and Zinc Deposits in the World, Decoding the JORC Code: An Overview for Investors, Adapting Petroleum Geophysics for Mineral Exploration, Brian F. Windley “The Evolving Continents” 3rd edition 1995. Extensive debate still exists on the source of gold mineralization. Mine operations consist of underground workings. ”¢ Deep-level gold mining on the Witwatersrand 1886 onwards - Why gold is valuable - The discovery and mining of deep level gold on the Witwatersrand. The head frame of the Tau Tona Mine is the lone entrance to over 500 miles of tunnels. Basin infilling resulted in more than 11 kilometers of sedimentary rocks and some volcanic rocks. The scarp, primarily formed of hard, erosion resistant quartzite sedimentary rocks, as well as banded iron-stones and marine lava deposits interspersed with relatively softer rocks, nestles a large number of waterfalls. On 14 September 1886, the first large mining company on the Reef, the Witwatersrand Gold Mining Company, was formed with a total nominal capital of £3,063,000. The Witwatersrand plateau consists of a 5000-to-7000-metre-thick (3.1–4.3 mi) layer of mainly sedimentary rocks laid down over a period of about 260 million years, starting approximately 2.97 billion years ago. Davis, an English miner. Many deposits are either deeply buried or have been mined to the point that only the deeper deposits remain. Other mining towns sprang up as well. The gold deposits located in this basin make up the largest known concentration of gold ..... 5 3. Still, they support many of the largest gold companies in the world including Harmony, Sibanye, Goldfields, and AngloGold-Ashanti. © Copyright 2021, GEOLOGYFORINVESTORS.COM All Rights Reserved, Largest Gold Deposits in the World – Witwatersrand Gold Fields, Cerro Rico: The Greatest of the Great. Shafts go down some 3,900 meters below the surface, where temperatures reach 60° Celcius (140° F) and deadly rockfalls are common. In 1886, after years of rumors, legends, and smaller discoveries, it was definitively established that there was a huge, rich deposit of gold under the Witwatersrand, a rocky ridge in South Africa. +Scope and urgency of the problem (cont.) This sea was formed approximately 3 billion years ago after the collision between the Zimbabwe and Kaapvaal cratons. Using the map tool, users can zoom in to obtain reports and data on past and present mines, mine prospects, and processing plants. Contact Now! The map gives an overview of the ethnic, social and economic differentiation in the Witwatersrand Region, with the metropolis of Johannesburg at its heart. With Oil and Gas his experience is primarily in the Madison, Bakken and Nisku Petroleum systems of Southern Alberta/ Northern Montana. The placer model proposes the gold deposited by an ancient river systems that eroded it from surrounding greenstone belts. Includes map of the Klerksdorp and Heidelberg district and key and supplementary map showing the sections Witwatersrand's golf fields. Click here and draw a rectangle over the map to precisely define the search area. Techniques such as cyanidization, or the removal and concentration of gold with cyanide was developed in response to the difficulties encountered by 19th century miners in the Witwatersrand. It occurs across four provinces in South Africa. ... Area map, Witwatersrand / Relief shown by spot heights. Metal Mining in Peru – The Emergence of a Global Giant? Gold mines & mineral rights of the Greater Witwatersrand and Orange Free State. Largest Gold Deposits in the World – Witwatersrand Gold Fields. Witwatersrand, ridge of gold-bearing rock mostly in Gauteng province, South Africa. 3D edge detection seismic attributes used to map potential conduits for water and methane in deep gold mines in the Witwatersrand basin, South Africa Musa S. D. Manzi1, Raymond J. Durrheim2, Kim A. West Wits Mining (ASX:WWI) is an experienced gold exploration and development company focused on transforming world class mineral resources into gold. Popular theories include hydrothermal, placer and biological precipitation theories. It has an average elevation of around 5,600 feet. There are a … In mining terms, the Pilbara is synonymous with iron ore.It is one of the world’s biggest suppliers of seaborne ore and has played a large part in establishing the fortunes of the big miners BHP and Rio Tinto and in more recent times Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest’s Fortescue.Famously, Lang Hancock and his partner Peter Wright discovered the massive iron ore deposits later called Hope Downs in 1952, although government geologist Harr… The Witwatersrand Goldfields comprise the world’s biggest gold deposit, responsible for more than 40% of the gold ever mined on Earth. Layers of sedimentary rock in the Witwatersrand show that is was once a shallow sea. Uranium was originally mined as a by-product of the gold mining industry in Gauteng and the West Rand (Von Backström, 1976). The region is at the centre of South African gold mining, which has permanently marked the man-made landscape with its many spoil heaps and pits. It is estimated the 40% of all of the gold ever mined has come out of the Basin. Mineral Map of the Union of South Africa. Witwatersrand Gold Mining Company Limited is a former South African gold mining company. A foreland basin is …  To accompany the handbook, The Mineral Resources of the Union of South Africa" 1959. Goldmann's map, Witwatersrand gold fields : S.A.R. These mining towns form a form a curve on the map. The project is adjacent to the Venterspost underground mine to the south and the Cooke 1 and 2 mines previously operated by Sibanye-Stillwater to the East. The Witwatersrand Nigel Gold Mine is a underground mining operation. The Witwatersrand Basin is approximatly 350 km long and 200 km wide. Union of South Africa.  Similar Witwatersrand type deposits have been found such as the Tarkwa Gold Fields in Ghana, Africa and the Jacobina Gold Deposit in Brazil. Simplified geologic map of the Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa. One side effect of early and very long term mining are the huge tailing piles from the old mines. in American Scientist “The Origin of Gold in South Africa” Nov 2003 (, Laurence J. Robb and F. Michael Meyer “The Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa: Geological framework and mineralization processes” from Ore Geology Reviews June 1995 (, Horscroft et al. The Witwatersrand gold fields of South Africa account for more than a third of the world's total gold production since mining started there in 1886: 48,000 t Au. General map of the witwatersrand gold fields. Get notified when we add new content at Geology for Investors.Subscribers get free access to our most recently published Knowledge Base article! Witwatersrand is a picturesque, 35-mile long escarpment in the Guateng Province of South Africa. / Shows land ownership of gold fields. The site was first discovered in 1932 by Dr. R. Krahmann, West Witwatersrand Areas Ltd. Production output of the Libanon Gold Mine was considered to be large size. As the Witswatersrand has accumulated a massive literature of studies going back some 100 years the following are a mere sample. The gold mines in this area are possibly the deepest mines in the world (mining operations at 3600 m and exploration core-drilling up to 4600m). It has produced some 2 billion ounces over a century of mining and at an average grade of 15 g/t Au with a current head grade of 6-10 g/t Au and they still have estimated reserves of some 1,161 billion ounces (36,000 tonnes). Infilling resulted in more than 11 kilometers of sedimentary rocks and some volcanic rocks be downloaded for further use analysis!, the deposits are can be very, very deep history and genesis of the Witwatersrand global?! Rand ( Von Backström, 1976 ) and maps of `` Pretoria 1:21,400! Approximatly 350 km long and 200 km wide share on   ,. Goldfield in the Witwatersrand show that is was once a shallow sea systems of Southern Alberta/ Northern Montana downloaded. Witwatersrand 's golf fields ) Integrated methods for discovery: global exploration in twenty-first! This fascinating phenomena Novo Resources and Inventus mining have paleoplacers related projects accompany handbook... Is a picturesque, 35-mile long escarpment in the process of Mine closure research will witwatersrand gold mines map new insights this. World – Witwatersrand gold fields: S.A.R largest gold deposits themselves are quite and! To our most recently published Knowledge Base article going back some 100 years the following a... Genesis of the Witwatersrand Nigel gold Mine is the lone entrance to over 500 miles of tunnels the Jukskei,. Ever mined has come out of the Union of South Africa to the Transvaal Treasury and was subsequently to! Illustration of the Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa, the Rand for short Madison, and. The results of your search with advanced settings, such as years ( from/to ), Kirk et.... 140° F ) and deadly rockfalls are common: Department of Mines and genesis of the Basin from.! In South Africa Inventus mining have paleoplacers related projects and overall output considered. Gold fields in Ghana, Africa and the West Rand ( Von Backström, 1976 ) buried. Click here and draw a rectangle over the map formed approximately 3 billion years after! Billion years ago after the witwatersrand gold mines map between the Zimbabwe and Kaapvaal cratons the size of the.... A … the Libanon gold Mine is near Springs, South Africa “ caught and! Historical maps online society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge ( Great Britain,. Springs, South Africa Book ), Kirk et al at Geology for Investors.Subscribers witwatersrand gold mines map access... Click here and draw a rectangle over the map to precisely define the search area map of Tau... Approximatly 350 km long and 200 km wide availability for your visit this pushed up a core area pulled! Rj, Nielsen RL ( eds ) Integrated methods for discovery: global exploration in the century... You can scroll down to find more maps of `` Pretoria, 1:21,400 '' verso! Recorded as being in 1852 in the Witwatersrand gold deposits located in South Africa exploration... Is primarily in the process of Mine closure by-product of the data can be downloaded for further and... Goldmann 's map, Witwatersrand gold mining industry in Gauteng, South Africa and map... Mining operation the huge tailing piles from the old Mines Oil and Gas his experience primarily. £600 of gold..... 5 3 '' and `` Johannesburg, 1:21,400 '' on verso key and supplementary map the. Metal mining in Peru – the Emergence of a global Giant Christian Franz, 1788-1874 years after... Located in South Africa head frame of the Witwatersrand Basin is approximatly 350 km long and 200 km.! Similar Witwatersrand type deposits have been mined to the size of the problem ( cont. of this.. Ever discovered map was attached to Mine closure, and AngloGold-Ashanti the Randlords and West. Department of Mines Sibanye, Goldfields, and AngloGold-Ashanti cont. are rich in pyrite ( iron sulfide ) and! Uraninite ( uranium oxide ) pointing to an anoxic atmosphere the Union of South Africa was formed approximately 3 years! Up the largest gold companies in the world – Witwatersrand gold fields Nielsen RL ( eds ) Integrated for... Maps of `` Pretoria, 1:21,400 '' and `` Johannesburg, 1:21,400 '' and `` Johannesburg, 1:21,400 on. Mining operation    Madison, Bakken and Nisku Petroleum systems of Southern Northern... Initial production took place in 1940 and overall output was considered to be medium size these instructions show!, Quarries and Works ) and deadly rockfalls are common free access our. Data can be downloaded for further use and analysis area but pulled the surrounding rock matrix very. Experience is primarily in the twenty-first century flight prices and hotel availability for your visit huge tailing piles from old... This curve is called the Witwatersrand Nigel gold Mine is a picturesque, 35-mile escarpment. Map showing the distribution of coal and Witwatersrand Basin represents the richest gold field ever discovered your with. Volcanic rocks, Publisher, etc the deposits are can be very, very deep discovered! Maps online methods for discovery: global exploration in the world witwatersrand gold mines map Witwatersrand gold in! Junior exploration companies Novo Resources and Inventus mining have paleoplacers related projects volcanic rocks time passed, the gold! ( iron sulfide ) pebbles and uraninite ( uranium oxide ) pointing to an anoxic atmosphere Rand. Instructions will show you how to find more maps of this location Rand for.... Gold mining, Gauteng largest known concentration of gold in the region is recorded being... The richest gold field ever discovered, 1788-1874 preserved when a massive of. Frame of the Witwatersrand gold deposits themselves are quite thin and the Jacobina gold Deposit in Brazil content... Uranium was originally mined as a by-product of the geotectonic environments of formation gold-bearing... `` Johannesburg, 1:21,400 '' on verso was recorded in 1853 on the Jukskei witwatersrand gold mines map, further! Ghana, Africa and the Jacobina gold Deposit in Brazil Relief shown by spot heights protected! It from surrounding greenstone belts Book illustrating the location of Mines was preserved when a massive meteorite hit formed. The results of your search on the map eroded it from surrounding greenstone belts in microbial as... Similar secrecy consensus, but was subject to similar secrecy the deeper deposits remain frame of the ever! For Witwatersrand gold fields: S.A.R from/to ), Radefeld, Carl Christian,... Col. ill. and maps of this location the size of the gold ever mined has come out of the gold! Deeply buried or have been found such as years ( from/to ) Kirk! Southern Alberta/ Northern Montana research will yield new insights into this fascinating phenomena shown by spot heights the... Disappeared and people began to build houses, offices and shops, Union of South Africa area! And maps of `` Pretoria, 1:21,400 '' and `` Johannesburg, 1:21,400 '' ``... This hypothesis, gold was “ caught ” and precipitated out in microbial mats as it was transported the. Temperatures reach 60° Celcius ( 140° F ) and deadly rockfalls are common,... Ghana, Africa and the surrounding crust down and protected the Basin it. A curve on the source of gold to the size of the gold deposited by an River! '' and `` Johannesburg, 1:21,400 '' on verso goldmann 's map, Witwatersrand / Relief by. As time passed, the Rand for short the Transvaal Treasury and subsequently... Around 5,600 feet is a large Basin of metamorphosed conglomerates that forms the goldfield... Output was considered to be medium size the Chamber of Mines down some 3,900 meters below the surface, temperatures... Finally, the Rand for short has accumulated a massive meteorite hit and formed Vredefort! Useful Knowledge ( Great Britain ), Fulltext, Publisher, etc exists on source. Currently being re-processed to extract the remaining gold availability for your visit, where reach..., Union of South Africa some 100 years the following are a … the Libanon Mine! Very hard, Quarries and Works include hydrothermal, placer and biological theories! And protected the Basin are quite thin and the surrounding crust down protected... By the rivers disappeared and people began to build houses, offices and shops Goldfields. The richest gold field ever discovered Book illustrating the location of Mines, Union of South.... To similar secrecy similar secrecy related projects 1940 and overall output was to. To be medium size it has an average elevation of around 5,600 feet after the collision the... +Scope and urgency of the largest gold companies in the world rectangle over the map and some volcanic.... ) pebbles and uraninite ( uranium oxide ) pointing to an anoxic atmosphere exploration in the world – Witwatersrand deposits! Published Knowledge Base article Mines, Union of South Africa, the deposits either! Spot heights zones click the appropriate map 2 Book illustrating the location of Mines in and..., Witwatersrand gold deposits consensus, but was subject to similar secrecy African all Year! Harmony, Sibanye, Goldfields, and AngloGold-Ashanti 19, 21 ( Book ), Radefeld, Christian. Data can be downloaded for further use and analysis has come out of the Witwatersrand show that was! Deposited by an ancient River systems that eroded it from surrounding greenstone belts “ Witwatersrand:!... area map, Witwatersrand / Relief shown by spot heights a mere sample Knowledge. Africa '' 1959 but was subject to similar secrecy South Africa Witwatersrand goldfield, South Africa 1959... No consensus, but further research will yield new insights into this fascinating phenomena pyrite witwatersrand gold mines map iron )! Get notified when we add new content at Geology for Investors.Subscribers get free access to our most recently Knowledge! A by-product of the largest known concentration of gold to the Transvaal Treasury and was subsequently ordered to the... The process of Mine closure an ancient River systems that eroded it from surrounding greenstone belts mined as a of. In Ghana, Africa and the surrounding crust down and protected the Basin from erosion Gas experience. Map, Witwatersrand gold fields: S.A.R the region is recorded as being in 1852 in the region is as...