"I am an African. I owe my being to the hills and the valleys, the mountains and the glades, the rivers, the deserts, the trees, the flowers, the seas, and the ever-changing seasons that define the face of our native land."- was well said by Thabo Mbeki.
South Africa's landscapes are a testament to the country's natural beauty and ecological diversity. This makes it a unique destination for nature lovers and adventurers alike.
The natural landscape is rich and diverse along with the mineral assets, which are their economy's soul. Mining is a basic industry that upholds an enormous number of individuals, organizations, and businesses including whole towns and urban communities. South Africa has established itself as a pioneering leader in deep gold-mining technologies due to the depth of some of these resources. One such magnificent resource is Mponeng. In the Witwatersrand Basin of the Gauteng Province, South Africa lies Mponeng. It is a deep tabular gold mine. The mine, formerly known as Western Deep Levels No.1 Shaft, began operating in 1986. With a depth of more than four kilometers (2.5 miles), it is one of the world's largest and most productive gold mines. Although it takes more than an hour to travel from the surface to its deepest point, an Ecuadorian marathon runner was able to complete a half marathon within the mine despite the harsh conditions.
‘Fig.1: Location of Mponeng Gold Mine, South Africa’
Background-
Mponeng is the result of Europeans discovering the basin, which is now part of the Witwatersrand, the world's largest gold mine. The Witwatersrand Gold Rush took place in 1886 as a result of a series of mineral discoveries made in the area between the years 1850 and 1870. These discoveries included Pieter Jacobus Marais panning gold from a river and Henry Lewis discovering quartz and a gold vein on a farm. After the shaft sank for approximately five years in 1981, these discoveries led to many mining operations, which Mponeng officially began in 1986.
‘Fig.2: Pieter Jacobus Marais and his wife’
Operations and ownership-
In 2020, Harmony Gold, Africa's largest gold producer, paid approximately $200 million to AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) for Mponeng. As they gathered the remaining assets of AGA toward the end of 2020, Harmony Gold also bought Mine Waste Solutions. Production costs totaled US$177 per ounce in 2022 or US$1614 per troy ounce. Mponeng was barely making a profit, even with gold prices that are close to records. At the moment, the price of one troy ounce of gold is approximately US$2080. Each day, more than 5,400 metric tons of rock are extracted from Mponeng. Harmony Gold has continued to operate despite closures.
‘Fig.3: Graph showing Harmony Gold share prices’
Mining and gold processing-
The underground mining strategy is executed at the Mponeng gold task. The ore is extracted using the sequential grid mining method. A twin-shaft system houses two surface shafts and two sub-shafts in the underground mine. The ore is transported via a conveyor belt to the nearby Mponeng gold plant for processing and smelting after the waste rock is separated from the ore and sent to the low-grade stockpile. The mineral goes through pulverizing and crushing in a semi-autogenous (Droop) plant, trailed by an ordinary gold drain process consolidating fluid oxygen infusion. The carbon-in-pulp (CIP) method is used to extract gold. At the plant, induction furnaces are used to electro-win and smelt the extracted gold. The Mponeng gold plant can process 165,000t of metal a month. The gold operation requires electricity from Eskom, a South African electricity provider.
The most recent publication from Harmony Gold outlines their 2023-year production:
Produced: 7,449 kg (239,490 oz) of gold
Grade: 8.43g/t
Volume of ore milled: 884,000 tons
‘Fig.4: Mining Operations and Systems Indulged’, https://media.wired.com/photos/5a9f47c92b62655fe349d4b1/16:9/w_656,h_369,c_limit/st_ultradeepmines_f.jpg
Global Significance-
The significance of the Mponeng Gold Mine extends far beyond the reaches of South Africa and just gold production. There are several factors contributing to its global significance as listed below:
1. Technological Innovations-
Mponeng has been at the forefront of implementing advanced mining technologies. Being the deepest mine in the world, the engineering required to operate at such extreme depths including innovations in cooling, ventilation, and rock mechanics developed at Mponeng have set new standards for the industry worldwide.
2. Safety and Health-
The extreme conditions of the mine expose its workers to hazardous and life-threatening situations. The min has pioneered various safety and health measures to ensure safe and sound work environment, influencing safety standards in the mining industry globally.
3. Geological Research-
The research and its functioning have proven to be exemplary in understanding deep-earth processes and the formation of mineral deposits. This has encouraged more geology-based research and expeditions.
4. Historical and Cultural Significance-
Mponeng speaks of the mining culture of South Africa. The history of South Africa has shaped its social and economic aspects, which is continuously influencing its present and future.
Conclusion –
We live in a world where the earth holds treasures not just in the form of diamonds or gold but also water, soil, and other natural resources. These have so far marked the start of civilizations and fostered cultural activities and occupations. Often these treasures benefit the country and the globe. It's time to start exploring many such things globally and nationally and encourage people to know more about the world a little bit more each day.References-
1.‘Fig.1: Location of Mponeng Gold Mine, South Africa’ -
2. ‘Fig.2: Pieter Jacobus Marais and his wife’ –
3. ‘Fig.3: Graph showing Harmony Gold share prices’ –
4. ‘Fig.4: Mining Operations and Systems Indulged’ -https://media.wired.com/photos/5a9f47c92b62655fe349d4b1/16:9/w_656,h_369,c_limit/st_ultradeepmines_f.jpg
Written by: Khadija & Harshita
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