Gold+Mining+In+South+Africa

While commercial gold mining has declined in importance in North Carolina, it continues as a major industry in many countries including South Africa. South Africa is particularly rich in mineral resources and is one of the leading raw material exporters in the world.

 Gold mining holds a special position. 40 per cent of the world's gold reserves are still to be found in the Witwatersrand area. Unlike the surface mining that characterized gold mining in North Carolina, the gold-bearing stone has to be mined with considerable technical expenditure from great depths (down to about 4,000 metres). To produce one fine ounce of gold, on average about 3 tons of ore, 5,000 litres of water and 600 kilowatt hours of electricity are required.  Over the last few years, the price of gold has dropped continuously. The main reason is the reduced demand for gold on the world market, because fewer currencies are being backed up by gold reserves. Also, competition from Russia and Australia puts pressure on the gold price, because their gold mining is easier and cheaper.  The gold mines in South Africa suffered a heavy crisis temporarily, and in 1995 more than 100,000 workers were laid off. So far, the industry has been saved from ruin by down-sizing, establishing co-operatives and the weakening currency, although many mines have reached their limit of profitability and at times even work below it.  The South African economy has, in recent years, succeeded in reducing its dependency on the gold price. In general, the economy is striving to shift away from its one-sided orientation as a raw material exporter. In future, the proportion of semi-finished and finished products in the entire export volume shall be increased by a capital-intensive modernisation of the industrial structures, which became outdated through the isolation of the apartheid era.

Did you know?
South Africa is home to the world's deepest mine: Western Deep gold mine in Gauteng province delves 3.6 kilometres into the earth. Moab Khutsong gold mine in North West province has the world's longest winding cable, able to lower workers to 3 054 metres in one uninterrupted four-minute journey.

The cable winding machinery for the mine lift.





Sources http://www.southafrica-travel.net/economy/e_gold.htm http://www.southafrica.info/business/economy/sectors/mining.htm http://www.southafrica.info/business/economy/sectors/mining.htm http://www.galenfrysinger.com/south_africa_gold_mine.htm //Photos: South African Tourism)//