South Africa accounted for 15% of the world's gold production in 2002 and 12% in 2005, though the nation had produced as much as 30% of the yearly world output as recently as 1993. Gold South Africa mined gold production, 1940-2011 (about 40%) 77% of South Africa's energy needs are provided by coal.
South Africa is the world's third largest coal exporter, and much of the country's coal is used for power production. Main article: Coal in South Africa § Mining Coal South Africa Coal production (red) and exports (black) The industry represents 18% of South Africa's $588 billion USD Gross Domestic Product. Īs of 2007, the South African mining industry employs 493,000 workers. During apartheid, Black South Africans were excluded from most skilled mining professions by the Mines and Works Act 1911. In particular, revenue from gold exports provided sufficient capital to purchase much-needed machinery and petroleum products to support an expanding manufacturing base. The gold mining industry continued to grow throughout much of the early 20th century, significantly contributing to the tripling of the economic value of what was then known as the Union of South Africa. Cecil Rhodes' place was later taken by Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, co-founder of the Anglo-American Corporation with J.P. South Africa's and the world's biggest diamond miner, De Beers, was funded by baron Nathaniel Mayer Rothschild in 1887, and Cecil Rhodes became the Founding Chairman of the board of directors in 1888. Ownership of the diamond and gold mines became concentrated in the hands of a few entrepreneurs, largely of European origin, known as the Randlords. This heightened political tensions in the area ultimately contributing to the Second Boer War in 1899. Like the diamond discoveries before, the gold rush caused thousands of foreign expatriates to flock to the region. When white settlers first found this gold for themselves in 1886, it triggered what would become the Witwatersrand Gold Rush of 1886. Native Africans had been mining gold in the Witwatersrand area since prehistory. These annexations later led to the First Boer War of 1880–1881. In 1868, the republic attempted to annex areas near newly discovered diamond fields, drawing protests from the nearby British colonial government.
The British later annexed the region of Griqualand West, an area which included the diamond fields. A site northeast of Cape Town was discovered to have rich deposits of diamonds, and thousands of white and blacks rushed to the area of Kimberley in an attempt to profit from the discovery. See also: History of South Africa and Economy of South Africaĭiamond and gold discoveries played an important part in the growth of the early South African economy. It was the world's 12th largest producer of uranium in 2018. In 2019, the country was the world's largest producer of platinum the world's largest producer of chromium the world's largest producer of manganese the 2nd largest world producer of titanium the world's 11th largest producer of gold the 3rd worldwide producer of vanadium the 6th largest world producer of iron ore the 11th largest world producer of cobalt and the 15th largest world producer of phosphate. ĭue to a history of corruption and maladministration in the South African mining sector, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe announced at the beginning of 2013 that mining companies misrepresenting their intentions could have their licences revoked.
South Africa is also a huge producer of iron ore in 2012, it overtook India to become the world's third-biggest iron ore supplier to China, the world's largest consumers of iron ore. It is also the world's third largest coal exporter. It is the second largest producer of ilmenite, palladium, rutile and zirconium.
It is the world's largest producer of chrome, manganese, platinum, vanadium and vermiculite. Gold rushes to Pilgrim's Rest and Barberton were precursors to the biggest discovery of all, the Main Reef/Main Reef Leader on Gerhardus Oosthuizen's farm Langlaagte, Portion C, in 1886, the Witwatersrand Gold Rush and the subsequent rapid development of the gold field there, the biggest of them all.ĭiamond and gold production are now well down from their peaks, though South Africa is still fifth in worldwide gold production, but remains a cornucopia of mineral riches. Large-scale and profitable mining started with the discovery of a diamond on the banks of the Orange River in 1867 by Erasmus Jacobs and the subsequent discovery of the Kimberley pipes a few years later. Mining in South Africa was once the main driving force behind the history and development of Africa's most advanced and richest economy. Premier Diamond Mine, Cullinan, Gauteng, South Africa An aerial view of the Two Rivers mine in Steelpoort, Limpopo, owned by both African Rainbow Minerals and Impala Platinum holdings limited.
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