The World's Greatest Gold Deposit

[Origins Centre]

THE WITWATERSRAND: THE WORLD’S GREATEST GOLD DEPOSIT
Its Geology, History, Entrepreneurs and Environment

Professor Morris Viljoen of the Department of Geoscience at Wits
University will deliver a lecture on the history of mining on the
Witwatersrand on 12 June. This talk, co-hosted by the Geological
Society of South Africa (GSSA), promises far more than a review of the
origin and nature of the gold bearing reefs, which led to Johannesburg
and greater Egoli’s position as one of the most important financial
hubs on the African Continent.

Viljoen details the saga of the Randlords and entrepreneurs who
developed the industry and the city, the mine workers from all over
southern Africa who laboured under the toughest of conditions, and the
technologies used to mine the narrow reefs at great depths. He looks
at the current re-processing of the tailings dams as well as the
mining of lower grade reef material left behind where mining started
126 years ago.

The legacy of the environmental impacts of mining on the Witwatersrand
is also outlined with particular reference to dust and acid mine
drainage. Finally, the future of the huge remaining gold resource in
the Witwatersrand basin is discussed, as well as the promotion of this
unique Witwatersrand legacy.

Prof Viljoen has worked extensively on mining projects throughout
southern Africa and led the team that modeled and re-evaluated the
Central Rand Goldfield.

Date: Tuesday 12 June 2012
Venue: Origins Centre
Time: 18h00 for 18h30
Cost: R45/R35 Wits students and staff and GSSA members
Bookings: a...@origins.org.za

Please e-mail your request for seats to a...@origins.org.za. If you are
a Wits student, Wits staff member or GSSA member, please include your
student/staff/membership number. We will then e-mail an invoice to
you, which can be paid by eft or at the Origins Centre reception desk.