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East Rand Proprietary Mines (ERPM) is a 125-year-old underground gold mining operation on the Witwatersrand Basin at Boksburg, to the east of Johannesburg. The mine employed 3,850 people. It was the deepest mine in the world until 2008 at 3,585 metres depth, slightly more than the TauTona mine, also in South Africa, which was 3,581 metres at the time (in 2008 the TauTona mine completed a digging project that extended the depth of the mine by several hundred metres.)[1]
| Location | |
|---|---|
  East Rand Gold Mine Location in South Africa | |
| Location | Boksburg |
| Province | Gauteng |
| Country | South Africa |
| Coordinates | 26°06′S 28°19′E |
| Production | |
| Production | 79,479 |
| Financial year | 2007-08 |
| History | |
| Opened | 1893 |
| Active | 120 |
| Closed | 2008 |
| Owner | |
| Company | OroTree Limited |
| Website | www |
| Year of acquisition | 2019 |
The mine closed in 2008. Historical gold production between 1896 and 2008 was 43 Moz at recovered gold grade of 8.1g/t (95% plant recovery).
A world class high grade gold deposit remains with existing in situ resources (SAMREC compliant) of 63 Moz, including; - Measured & Indicated resource of 13.6 Moz at 6.7g/t Au - Inferred resources of 50 Moz at 4.92 g/t Au.
The Cason mine dump was once the world’s highest manmade mountain. This dump is currently being recycled. It is now a shadow of its former self and will probably disappear in the near future.
Recent production figures:[2]
| Year | Production | Cost per ounce |
| 2007 | 80,216 ounces | US $641 |
| 2008 | 79,479 ounces | US $748 |
The ERPM engineered many mining techniques which are still in place today, including "Long Wall Mining". The mine also built the world's largest ice factory which produced up to 8,000t of ice daily to cool wall rock temperatures (50-60 deg Celsius).
The mine was acquired by private Malaysian mining company OroTree Limited Archived 30 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine on 26 February 2019.
Mine shaft (1963)
Daily production (1963)
Smelting
Lists of mineworkers
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