Elandskraal mine
Encyclopedia
Kusasalethu is a gold mine on the West Wits Line near Carletonville, Gauteng
, South Africa, and 75 km west of Johannesburg
. The Deelkraal Section of the mine is situated about 5km to the west at 26°28′03"S 27°18′36"E.
and is the amalgamation of the Deelkraal mine and Elandsrand mines, bought from AngloGold in 2001 for R1 billion in cash.
Kusasalethu mines mainly the Ventersdorp Contact Reef (VCR) and the Carbon Leader. Production in 2007 was 195,000 ounces, proven and probable reserves totalled 8.3 million ounces and additional identified resources totalled 7.1 million ounces. An R989 million (US$137 million) project to develop a deeper 'new mine' to exploit the VCR between 3,000 and 3,600 metres below surface is well advanced. It is expected to be complete in 2010 and boost annual production to 416,000 ounces.
On 3 October 2007 3,200 employees were trapped underground when a 15 metre compressed air pipe broke away just below surface in the men and material shaft and fell to the shaft bottom, severely damaging both the shaft steelwork and the electricity supply to the sub men and material shaft. The trapped workers were all brought to surface by 4.00 p.m. the following day after cages had been installed in the rock shaft. 48 days of production were lost.
Carletonville, Gauteng
Carletonville is a gold-mining town in western Gauteng, South Africa. It is one of the richest gold-producing areas in the world. At 3,749 m, Western Deep Levels is one of the world's deepest mines....
, South Africa, and 75 km west of Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. The Deelkraal Section of the mine is situated about 5km to the west at 26°28′03"S 27°18′36"E.
Overview
The mine is owned by the Harmony Gold Mining Co. Ltd.Harmony Gold (mining)
Harmony Gold is the third largest gold mining company in South Africa , the 12th largest in the world and the 5th largest gold producer in the world. Harmony and its subsidiaries conduct underground and surface gold mining and related activities, including exploration, processing, smelting and...
and is the amalgamation of the Deelkraal mine and Elandsrand mines, bought from AngloGold in 2001 for R1 billion in cash.
Kusasalethu mines mainly the Ventersdorp Contact Reef (VCR) and the Carbon Leader. Production in 2007 was 195,000 ounces, proven and probable reserves totalled 8.3 million ounces and additional identified resources totalled 7.1 million ounces. An R989 million (US$137 million) project to develop a deeper 'new mine' to exploit the VCR between 3,000 and 3,600 metres below surface is well advanced. It is expected to be complete in 2010 and boost annual production to 416,000 ounces.
On 3 October 2007 3,200 employees were trapped underground when a 15 metre compressed air pipe broke away just below surface in the men and material shaft and fell to the shaft bottom, severely damaging both the shaft steelwork and the electricity supply to the sub men and material shaft. The trapped workers were all brought to surface by 4.00 p.m. the following day after cages had been installed in the rock shaft. 48 days of production were lost.
Production
Recent production figures:| Year | Production | Grade | Cost per ounce |
| 2006 | 170,867 ounces | 5.94 g/t | US $ 523 |
| 2007 | 194,710 ounces | 5.98 g/t | US $ 527 |
| 2008 | 158,631 ounces | 5.54 g/t | US $ 652 |
| 2009 | |||