History

1950

Discovery of payable Ventersdorp Contract Reef and Upper Elsburg conglomerates near Westonaria

1965

Establishment of Elsburg Gold Mining Company

1975

Elsburg consolidated into Western Areas Gold Mining

1980

Recognition that orebody had potential for mechanised mining

1990

South Deep Exploration formed to raise funds for continued exploration

1995

Western Areas Gold Mining and South Deep Exploration Company merged. Shaft sinking commenced

1999

Placer Dome/Western Areas joint venture formed to develop South Deep

2000

Project renamed South Deep Gold Mine

2002

Sinking of main shaft completed.

New gold plant commissioned

2004

Twin Shaft system commissioned

2006

Placer Dome acquired by Barrick. Barrick sold its stake in South Deep in September the same year

2007

Gold Fields acquires full shareholding of Western Areas assuming full control of South Deep

2008

Gold Fields initiates a R4.3bn mine upgrade investment programme. All conventional mining stopped

2009

Low profile mechanised destress mining begins

2010

New-order mining right granted, with addition of the ‘Uncle Harry’s’ contiguous area

Gold Fields concludes black economic empowerment (BEE) transaction with Invictus Gold which introduces new shareholders to South Deep

2011

BEE transaction comes into effect - Gold Fields holds 90% of South Deep, while BEE shareholders, including the South Deep Education and South Deep Community Trusts, hold remaining 10%

2012

Centralised tailings storage facility and installed infrastructure around shaft system completed

2015

Mining converted from low profile to high profile mechanised destress.

2016

Gold Fields implements R2.3bn ‘Rebase Plan’ to assist South Deep in reaching its full operational potential

2018

45-day labour dispute and restructuring of South Deep to ensure sustainability unfortunately results in retrenchments. Mine introduces a new operating model to reduce mining areas, lower overheads, improve fleet availability and accelerate backfill placement.

2019

South Deep exceeds guidance and returns to profitability