The gold in this region does not come from magmatic processes, but from ancient rivers. Since the end of the 19th century, the Witwatersrand basin has consolidated its status as a world leader in mining, supplying approximately 40% of all gold mined throughout human history. This discovery, which is not new, has significant historical value, but its scale has once again aroused the interest of the scientific community. In the Witwatersrand formation, located in South Africa, recent studies have confirmed that mountains over 1,900 metres above sea level contain traces of an ancient river system that accumulated thousands of tonnes of gold over 2.7 billion years ago. However, new geological models provide a better understanding of how and why this metal accumulated in such quantities at this altitude.
Area where gold is found at over 1900 metres above sea level
Geological history hides many mysteries. The Witwatersrand gold was not formed as a result of magmatic processes, but was the result of the activity of primitive rivers which, in the Archaic period, transported metallic particles to the beds of ancient valleys. Over millions of years, sedimentation, pressure and tectonic activity compacted these sediments into conglomerates that are now found at high altitude. Reports from international organisations such as the USGS and the South African Council for Geoscience confirm that, adding together the reserves already mined and those remaining, the region has reserves that may exceed 30,000 tonnes. For this reason, it is considered the most significant of the natural deposits ever recorded. This gold was not formed by magmatic processes, but by the movement of primitive rivers.
The evolution of gold in Witwatersrand
The mining boom was one of the key factors that transformed the landscape and led to the emergence of Johannesburg, now recognised as the economic capital of South Africa. The deep explorations, which exceed three kilometres below the earth, marked the progress of modern mining engineering. Despite environmental and social problems, the region remains a symbol of large-scale mining. The gold of Witwatersrand not only contributed to the development of the economy, but also stimulated the creation of scientific institutions, universities and safety standards, which were later adopted by other mining countries. In fact, this is the core on which an entire nation was built.
Secrets hidden in the mountains
Although the large veins have been mined for over a century, geologists say there are still unexplored areas on the edges of the basin. New methods of seismic exploration and deep drilling aim to identify hidden accumulations of residual gold trapped in older layers. Scientific expectations focus on a deeper understanding of the processes that led to the formation of these unique deposits and how they can be replicated in other regions of the planet. Witwatersrand remains a window into the Earth’s deep past and one of the keys to understanding the formation of our planet’s mineral resources.
