East Rand Mine

East Rand Proprietary Mines (ERPM) is a 125-year-old underground gold mining operation on the Witwatersrand Basin at Boksburg, to the east of Johannesburg. The mine employed 3,850 people. It was the deepest mine in the world until 2008 at 3,585 metres depth, slightly more than the TauTona mine, also in South Africa, which was 3,581 metres at the time (in 2008 the TauTona mine completed a digging project that extended the depth of the mine by several hundred metres.)[1]

East Rand Proprietary Mine Ltd.
Location
East Rand Gold Mine is located in South Africa
East Rand Gold Mine
East Rand Gold Mine
Location in South Africa
LocationBoksburg
ProvinceGauteng
CountrySouth Africa
Coordinates26°06′S 28°19′E
Production
Production79,479
Financial year2007-08
History
Opened1893
Active120
Closed2008
Owner
CompanyOroTree Limited
Websitewww.orotree.com
Year of acquisition2019

The mine closed in 2008. Historical gold production between 1896 and 2008 was 43 Moz at recovered gold grade of 8.1g/t (95% plant recovery).

A world class high grade gold deposit remains with existing in situ resources (SAMREC compliant) of 63 Moz, including; - Measured & Indicated resource of 13.6 Moz at 6.7g/t Au - Inferred resources of 50 Moz at 4.92 g/t Au.

The Cason mine dump was once the world’s highest manmade mountain. This dump is currently being recycled. It is now a shadow of its former self and will probably disappear in the near future.

Production

Recent production figures:[2]

Year Production Cost per ounce
2007 80,216 ounces US $641
2008 79,479 ounces US $748

History
Share of the East Rand Proprietary Mines Ltd, issued 19 October 1928

The ERPM engineered many mining techniques which are still in place today, including "Long Wall Mining". The mine also built the world's largest ice factory which produced up to 8,000t of ice daily to cool wall rock temperatures (50-60 deg Celsius).

The mine was acquired by private Malaysian mining company OroTree Limited on 26 February 2019.

  • Mine shaft (1963)
    Mine shaft (1963)
  • Daily production (1963)
    Daily production (1963)
  • Smelting
    Smelting
  • Lists of mineworkers
    Lists of mineworkers

References
  1. "TauTona, Anglo Gold - Mining Technology". SPG Media Group PLC. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  2. ERPM Archived 2009-10-11 at the Wayback Machine DRD Gold website, accessed: 29 September 2009
  • Tucker, Rodney & Viljoen, Richard & J. Viljoen, Morris. (2016). A Review of the Witwatersrand Basin - The World's Greatest Goldfield. Episodes. 39. 105. 10.18814/epiiugs/2016/v39i2/95771.
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