Free State goldfields

The Free State goldfields were only developed after the Second World War even though gold had been discovered in 1938. The development gave rise to major development of the region.

Background

After the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand in the 1880s geologists knew that the main reef spread to the east and west, but did so at great depth. At that period the technology to prospect or mine at such depth was not yet available. In the 1930s, new geophysical prospecting methods determined that deep gold reefs could be discovered. The mines in the Klerksdorp and Potchefstroom areas were started thanks to the success of these new methods.

The Free State

In the 1890s the trader Gustav Furst had a small shop on the farm Zoeten Inval. It was 13km from where Odendaalrus stands today. Furst showed the prospector Archibald Megson a quartzite vein. Megson and his partners Donaldson and Haines sank an adit and found gold. However, it was in insufficient volumes to attract financiers. Donaldson and Haines took samples with them to London on the ship Drummond Castle. On 16 June 1896 the ship when down at Ushant, signaling the end of the initiative and Furst disappeared from the scene.

In the early 1930s Megson managed to interest Allan Roberts, an amateur geologist and dental technician, in the reef and entrance adit. Megson was bought out by Roberts who founded "Wit Extensions". In 1933 Roberts bored a hole of 1 263m near to the adit on the farm Aandenk. It yielded nothing and the venture came to naught. This effort was followed by others, eg: Western Holdings and a company owned by Hans Merensky.

Using new technology and instruments he developed himself, the Hungarian geologist, Oscar Weiss, identified a place on the farm St. Helena. In April 1938 he drilled into gold at a depth of 737m. The estimation was more than a half ounce per ton of processed ore. Unfortunately the Second World War broke out thereafter and prospecting work came to a halt.

After the Second World War various mining companies flooded Odendaalsrus and within a year over 50 holes were bored. On 16 April 1946 the great discovery was made on the farm Geduld. With the thirteenth hole he had drilled, a drill operator called "Lucky" Hamilton, struck gold at a depth of 1 200 m. The sample from the drill core yielded 62oz of gold per ton of processed ore, making it one of the richest reefs in the world.

One of the companies found the hole drilled by Allan Roberts, cleaned it out and drilled deeper striking the same reef a further 122m on.

Impacts

The discovery of the reef led to the establishment of the city of Welkom and the town of Riebeeckstad whilst towns such as Odendalsrus, Allanridge and Virginia enjoyed unbelievable growth. Water was supplied into the region from the Vaal Dam and new roads and railway lines laid in order to service it. Mines that were established were:

* Beatrix
* Erfdeel-Dankbaarheid
* Free State Geduld
* Jeanette
* Loraine
* Oryx
* President Brand
* President Steyn
* St. Helena
* Welkom
* Western Holdings

The region

The following towns are part of the Free State Goldfields:

* Allanridge
* Hennenman
* Odendaalsrus
* Riebeeckstad
* Virginia, Free State
* Welkom

References

* Based on the original article in Afrikaans.
* ''Ensiklopedie van Suidelike Afrika''. Eric Rosenthal. 1967.
* ''Goud in Suid-Afrika''. Ted Scannel. 1988.
* ''Op Pad in Suid-Afrika''. B.P.J. Erasmus. 1995.

{{coord missing, South Africa

Gold mines in South Africa
History of gold mining
Orange Free State