THE GOLDEN SEMICIRCLE
583
all of you have no doubt heard it said frequently that it is fortunate that this field has been discovered, because it wouJd replace the older
mines of the Rand. To my mind, this is not a true reflection of the
picture. In the immediate future the Rand need not look to the Free
State to replace the mines that may have to close down. The Rand is
replacing itself. If we start in the east, we find that Daggafontein is
opening up its Kimberley Reef deposit and is about to erect a plant to
treat 750,000 tons per annum. Groot-vlei is increasing its operations.
If
we go to the West Rand, we see the developments of Blyvooruitzicht,
West Dricfontein, Doornfontein and Libanon. Other expansion programmes
are under consideration or are being undertaken on other parts of the
Rand. This shows that the Rand is dealing with the replacement of its
so-called 'dying mines'.
He
did not refer, on this occasion, to the developments which were
simultaneously taking place in the Klerksdorp area, although by that
time an extension of Anglo American Corporation interests had taken
place. On 29 May 1944 a new company—Vaal Reefs Exploration and Mining
Company Limited—had been incorporated, to take over from Western Reefs
Exploration (the original pioneering interest of Anglo American
Corporation in the Klerksdorp area) mineral rights over certain farms;
while at the same time the Union Government granted a prospecting lease
over Crown lands on the farm Zandpan in an extent of 845 morgen.
Moreover, in the area south of the area occupied by the West
Driefontein, Blyvooruitzicht and Doornfontein mines, Anglo American
Corporation had already announced the initiation of a further
enterprise: Western Ultra Deep Levels Limited.103
Though the establishment of Western Ultra Deep Levels belongs to
103
'The decision to form this company', Ernest Oppenheimcr pointed out to
the shareholders of Anglo American Corporation in April 1944, 'marks a
new departure in the industry. It is anticipated that the depth of the
reef will be approximately 10,000 to 12,000 feet, and naturally the
expenditure required to establish a mine at these depths will be
considerably greater than that required for an ordinary Witwatersrand
property. Such an enterprise could therefore be a success only if the
reef in the area selected proved to be of comparatively high grade and
if the area was a large one so that operations could be on such a scale
that overhead charges were kept to a minimum . . . even if our
expectations [of profitability] in these matters are realized, we shall
still be dependent for success on the good will and assistance of the
Government. Fortunately, the Government is very interested in this
question of ultra-deep mining, and has recently appointed a committee
to examine the problems that it involves. There are two ways in which a
government can, and I have no doubt will, help in the establishment of
ultra-deep mines. The first is by giving special consideration to the
problems of such enterprises, when the time comes after the war to put
gold-mining taxation on a permanent basis; the second is by keeping the
difficulties and possibilities of ultra-deep mining prominently in mind
when giving out new mining lease areas. With the sympathy of the
Government in these matters, we shall, I believe, succeed in
establishing a profitable enterprise of importance to the whole
country.'
