Harmony Gold (mining)

Last updated

Harmony Gold Mining Co. Ltd.
Company typePublic
JSE: HMY
IndustryGold
Headquarters Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, South Africa
Key people
Patrice Motsepe Chairman
Peter Steenkamp CEO
Beyers Nel COO
Revenue R42.65 billion (US$2.47 billion) [1]
Number of employees
47373 [1]
Website www.harmony.co.za

Harmony Gold is the largest gold mining company in South Africa. Harmony operates in South Africa and in Papua New Guinea. The company has nine underground mines, one open-pit mine and several surface operations in South Africa. In Papua New Guinea, it has Hidden Valley, an open-pit gold and silver mine and a 50% interest in the Morobe Mining Joint Venture, which includes the Wafi-Golpu project and extensive exploration tenements. Outside the joint venture, Harmony's own exploration portfolio focuses principally on highly prospective areas in Papua New Guinea.

Contents

In FY17, South African operations accounted for 91% of total gold production of 1.09Moz, with 9% coming from Papua New Guinea. At 30 June 2017, Harmony reported attributable gold equivalent mineral reserves of 36.7Moz of gold, and attributable gold mineral resources of 104.3Moz. At the end of FY17, Harmony employed 33 201 people in total – 26 478 employees and 4 512 contractors in South Africa and 1 300 employees and 911 contractors in Papua New Guinea (excluding employees of the Morobe Mining Joint Ventures). Employees are drawn from communities around the company operations, from other provinces in South Africa and Papua New Guinea and from other countries (Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Australia). [2]

Operations

South Africa

In 2020 Harmony took over AngloGold Ashanti's last South African mining assets for about R4.4 billion. [3]

Tshepong

Tshepong is located in the Free State Province, near Welkom, about 248 kilometres from Johannesburg. Mining is conducted at a depth of 2 349 meters. The mine uses conventional undercut mining in the Basal Reef while the B Reef is exploited as a high grade secondary reef. Ore mined is processed at the Harmony One plant. [4]

Bambanani

Bambanani, near Welkom and about 262 kilometres from Johannesburg, has two surface shafts (the East and West shafts). Mining is conducted at a depth of 2 365 metres. Activities at the mine focus on the Basal Reef and are limited to shaft pillar extraction. The ore mined is sent to Harmony One Plant for processing. Given the high risk of seismicity at Bambanani, efforts are focused on managing support systems and the rehabilitation of areas with challenging ground conditions. [5] [6]

Target 1

Target 1 is located in the Free State Province, some 10 kilometers north of Welkom [7] and 270 kilometres southwest of Johannesburg. Mining operations at Target 1 comprise one primary underground mine, with a depth of approximately 2 945 metres. While most of the ore extracted comes from mechanised mining (massive mining techniques), conventional stoping is still employed primarily to de-stress areas ahead of mechanised mining. Ore mined is processed at the Target plant. [8]

Doornkop

Doornkop, a single-shaft operation, is located in the province of Gauteng of South Africa, approximately 30 kilometres west of Johannesburg, on the northern rim of the Witwatersrand Basin. Mining is conducted at a depth of 1 978 metres. The operation focuses on narrow-reef conventional mining of the South Reef. The ore from the operation is processed at the Doornkop plant. [9]

Joel

Joel is located in the Free State Province and about 292 kilometres from Johannesburg, on the southern edge of the Witwatersrand Basin. The mine comprises two shafts, the North and South shafts. The primary economical reef horizon at Joel is a narrow tabular Beatrix Reef deposit which is accessed via conventional grid development. Mining is conducted at a depth of 1 452 metres. The ore is processed at the Joel plant. [10]

Kusasalethu

Kusasalethu is located about 90 kilometres from Johannesburg, near the provincial border of Gauteng and North West Province. Kusasalethu is situated in the West Witwatersrand Basin and mines the Ventersdorp Contact Reef as its main ore body. The mine comprises twin vertical and twin sub-vertical shaft systems and uses conventional mining methods in a sequential grid layout. Mining is conducted at a depth of 3 388 metres, making it Harmony's deepest mine. Ore mined is treated at the Kusasalethu plant. [11]

Masimong

Masimong is located in the Free State Province, near the city of Welkom and about 260 kilometres from Johannesburg. The Masimong complex comprises an operating shaft (5 shaft), and a second shaft (4 shaft), which, although closed for mining, is used for ventilation, pumping and as a second outlet. Masimong exploits the Basal Reef and the B Reef. Mining is conducted at a depth of 2 050 metres. Ore mined is processed at the Harmony One plant. [12]

Moab Khotsong

Harmony successfully acquired Moab Khotsong from AngloGold Ashanti Limited on 1 March 2018. The $300-million deal includes the Moab Khotsong mine, one of the newest South African deep-level mines, with life-of-mine grade forecast at 8.2 g/t, taking the average Harmony underground grade to 5.7g/t.

The acquisition also includes the Great Noligwa mine which is a high grade opportunity for Harmony to extend the life of mine and extract the shaft pillar. [13]

Unisel

Unisel is located in the Free State Province, near Virginia and about 271 kilometres from Johannesburg. Mining is conducted at a depth of 2 153 metres below surface. Conventional scattered mining and pillar reclamation takes place to access the Basal, Leader and, to a lesser extent, the Middle reefs. Ore mined is processed at Harmony One plant. [14]

Kalgold open pit

Kalgold is an open-pit mine situated 55 kilometres southwest of Mahikeng in North West Province and located within the Kraaipan Greenstone Belt. Mining takes place from the A Zone pit. Ore mined from the pit is processed at a carbon-in-leach plant located at Kalgold. [15]

Surface Dumps

Production from the processing of surface rock dumps situated in the Free State province of South Africa depends entirely on the availability of spare mill capacity at the Harmony One and Target plants, which in turn depends on the availability of underground ore delivered for milling. [16]

Phoenix Surface Operations

Phoenix, a tailings retreatment operation situated in Virginia in the Free State Province, makes use of the Saaiplaas plant to retreat tailings. During FY13, Harmony finalised an empowerment agreement and transferred 30% of its shareholding in the Phoenix operations to black economic empowerment owners. [17]

Papua New Guinea

Hidden Valley

The Hidden Valley mine is an open pit gold and silver mine, situated in the highly prospective area of the Morobe Province in Papua New Guinea, some 210 kilometres northwest of Port Moresby. The major gold and silver deposits of the Morobe goldfield and Hidden Valley are hosted in the Wau Graben. The operational pits are Hidden Valley-Kaveroi and Hamata, located approximately 6 kilometres apart. Ore mined is treated at the Hidden Valley processing plant. [18]

Illegal miner deaths

In late May to early June, 2009, 63 illegal miners died in Free State Province, South Africa mine owned by Harmony Gold. [19]

On Tuesday 26 September 2017, a Tshepong mine employee, Ditsoane, was abducted and held captive, then released and instructed to warn the regional manager of Harmony Gold, Simphiwe Kugeka, to stop harassing and persecuting illegal miners known as zama-zamas in South Africa. [20]

On Thursday 28 September 2017 at around 6pm, the regional manager of Harmony Gold, Simphiwe Kubheka (36) was shot dead at Harmony Mines in Welkom, South Africa. [21] 4 men were sentenced to life for the contract murder of Kubheka in the Kroonstad High Court, 10 October 2019. [22]

In South Africa, Harmony Gold secured a license to sell a replica of the One Ring, made from gold taken from the Bloemfontein mine, the area where The Lord of the Rings author J. R. R. Tolkien was born. Their version of the ring, also inscribed with elvish script, sold in a variety of sizes in various jewellery stores throughout South Africa and directly through their website. [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Witwatersrand Gold Rush</span> Gold rush in Johannesburg, South Africa

The Witwatersrand Gold Rush was a gold rush that began in 1886 and led to the establishment of Johannesburg, South Africa. It was a part of the Mineral Revolution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wau, Papua New Guinea</span> Place in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea

Wau is a town in Papua New Guinea, in the province of Morobe. It has a population of approx 5,000 and is situated at an altitude of around 1100 metres. Wau was the site of a gold rush during the 1920s and 30s when prospective gold diggers arrived at the coast at Salamaua and struggled inland along the Black Cat Track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welkom</span> City in Free State, South Africa

Welkom is the second-largest city in the Free State province of South Africa, located about 140 kilometres (90 mi) northeast of Bloemfontein, the provincial capital. Welkom is also known as Circle City, City Within A Garden, Mvela and Matjhabeng. The city's Sesotho name, Matjhabeng means 'where nations meet', derived from the migrant labour system, where people of various countries such as Lesotho, Malawi and Mozambique etc. met to work in the mines of the gold fields.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TauTona Mine</span> Gold mine in Gauteng, South Africa

The TauTona Mine, formerly Western Deep Levels No.3 Shaft, is a gold mine located in the West Wits gold field west of Johannesburg. The mine is near the town of Carletonville in South Africa. At approximately 3.9 kilometers (2.4 mi) deep, it is home to the world's second deepest mining operation, rivalled only by the Mponeng Gold Mine, formerly Western Deep Levels No.1 Shaft. TauTona was temporarily closed in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newcrest Mining</span> Australian-based mining company

Newcrest Mining Limited is an Australian-based corporation which engages in the exploration, development, mining and sale of gold and the froth flotation product, gold-copper concentrate. It is Australia's leading gold mining company and its operations have expanded beyond Australia, for example Indonesia, thus becoming a prominent international mining corporation. Newmont initially started the company as a subsidiary in 1966. The subsidiary became Newmont Holdings Pvt Ltd in 1980 and in 1990 acquired 100 per cent of Australmin Holdings Limited taking the current name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morobe Province</span> Province in Papua New Guinea

Morobe Province is a province on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. The provincial capital and largest city is Lae. The province covers 33,705 km2, with a population of 674,810, and since the division of Southern Highlands Province in May 2012 it is the most populous province. It includes the Huon Peninsula, the Markham River, and delta, and coastal territories along the Huon Gulf. The province has nine administrative districts. At least 101 languages are spoken, including Kâte and Yabem language. English and Tok Pisin are common languages in the urban areas, and in some areas pidgin forms of German are mixed with the native language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ok Tedi Mine</span> Papua New Guinean copper and gold mine

The Ok Tedi Mine is an open-pit copper and gold mine in Papua New Guinea located near the headwaters of the Ok Tedi River, in the Star Mountains Rural LLG of the North Fly District of the Western Province of Papua New Guinea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concor</span> South African construction company

Concor Holdings (Proprietary) Limited. is a South African construction and mining services company. It is active throughout Southern Africa, involved in civil engineering, buildings, roads and mining projects. Concor returned as an independent brand in late 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simberi Island</span> Island of the Tabar Group of Papua New Guinea

Simberi Island is a volcanic island in the Tabar Group, in Papua New Guinea's New Ireland Province.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mining in Papua New Guinea</span>

Mining in Papua New Guinea is an important part of the Papua New Guinea economy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kusasalethu mine</span> Gold mine in South Africa

Kusasalethu is a gold mine on the West Wits Line near Carletonville, Gauteng, South Africa, and 75 km (47 mi) west of Johannesburg. The Deelkraal Section of the mine is situated about 5 km (3.1 mi) to the west at 26°28′03″S27°18′36″E.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mining industry of South Africa</span>

Mining in South Africa was once the main driving force behind the history and development of Africa's most advanced and richest economy. Large-scale and profitable mining started with the discovery of a diamond on the banks of the Orange River in 1867 by Erasmus Jacobs and the subsequent discovery of the Kimberley pipes a few years later. Gold rushes to Pilgrim's Rest and Barberton were precursors to the biggest discovery of all, the Main Reef/Main Reef Leader on Gerhardus Oosthuizen's farm Langlaagte, Portion C, in 1886, which kicked off the Witwatersrand Gold Rush and the subsequent rapid development of the gold field there.

Blyvooruitzicht is a gold mine and gold-mining village in Gauteng, South Africa. It is situated about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of the centre of Carletonville and 80 kilometres (50 mi) westwards from Johannesburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Harmony Gold mine deaths</span>

The 2009 Harmony Gold mine deaths occurred in late May and early June 2009 in Free State province, South Africa. At least 82 miners, many from Lesotho, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, died from inhalation of poisonous gasses created by a May 18 fire in the mineshaft.

African Rainbow Minerals Limited is a mining company based in South Africa. ARM has interests in a wide range of mines, including platinum and platinum group metals (PGMs), iron, coal, copper, and gold. ARM's Goedgevonden coalmine near Witbank is a flagship of their joint venture with Xstrata, and produces 6.7 million tons of coal per year. Production is expanding at the Two Rivers platinum mine in Mpumalanga. ARM owns 20% of Harmony Gold, the 12th largest gold mining company in the world with three mining operations in South Africa. Patrice Motsepe is the executive chairman; Phillip Tobias is CEO.

Evander is a town in Mpumalanga, South Africa. It is approximately 8 km north west of Secunda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mponeng Gold Mine</span> 10 km deep gold mine in Gauteng province near Johannesburg, South Africa. Worlds Deepest Mine.

Mponeng is an ultra-deep tabular gold mine in South Africa in the Witwatersrand Basin of the Gauteng Province. Previously known as Western Deep Levels No1 Shaft, the mine began operations in 1986. It is one of the most substantial gold mines in the world in terms of production and magnitude, reaching over 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) below the surface. At this depth Mponeng takes the title of world's deepest mine from ground level, with aims to deepen the mine beyond 4km in order to reach more reserves. A trip from the surface to its deepest point takes over an hour. An Ecuadorian marathon runner completed a half marathon within the mine in 2017. The mine supports a very large number of people, companies and industries, including entire towns and cities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Free State Gold Rush</span> Gold rush in the Free State, South Africa

The Free State Gold Rush was a gold rush in Free State, South Africa. It began after the end of World War II, even though gold had been discovered in the area around the year 1934. It drove major development in the region until the mid–to–late 1980s as part of the mineral revolution in South Africa.

Zama zamas are illegal artisanal miners in South Africa who occupy closed or operational mines to mine for minerals such as gold, iron ore, coal, and manganese. The term zama zama loosely translates to "take a chance" in isiZulu and they use rudimentary tools and explosives for mining. Most of the zama zamas come from neighboring countries such as Lesotho, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. This trade is not unique to South Africa. In Zimbabwe these illegal artistinal miners are known as makorokoza or magweja in IsiNdebele. In Ghana, another gold rich country, unlicenced mining is called galamsey. The South African government has reacted by deporting Zama zamas because of the violence associated with their activities in the settlements they occupy which most of the times are near the mines.

References

  1. 1 2 "Integrated Annual Report" (PDF). 30 June 2022. pp. 82–83. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  2. "What we do - Harmony". Harmony.co.za. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  3. Seccombe, Allan (12 February 2020). "End of an era as AngloGold exits SA". BL Premium. Business Day. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  4. "Tshepong operations - Harmony". Harmony.co.za. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  5. "Bambanani - Harmony". Harmony.co.za. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  6. "Major Mines & Projects | Bambanani Mine".
  7. "Major Mines & Projects | Target 1 Mine". miningdataonline.com. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  8. "Target 1 - Harmony". Harmony.co.za. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  9. "Doornkop - Harmony". Harmony.co.za. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  10. "Joel - Harmony". Harmony.co.za. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  11. "Kusasalethu - Harmony". Harmony.co.za. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  12. "Masimong - Harmony". Harmony.co.za. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  13. "Moab Khotsong - Harmony". Harmony.co.za. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  14. "Unisel - Harmony". Harmony.co.za. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  15. "Kalgold open pit - Harmony". Harmony.co.za. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  16. "Surface dumps - Harmony". Harmony.co.za. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  17. "Phoenix surface operations - Harmony". Harmony.co.za. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  18. "Hidden Valley - Harmony". Harmony.co.za. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  19. "News releases". 8 June 2009. Archived from the original on 8 June 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  20. "Killers jailed for life". Netwerk24. 17 October 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  21. "Is Kubheka's Murder Linked to Illegal Mining?". Mining Africa. 29 October 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  22. "Killers jailed for life". Netwerk24. 17 October 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  23. "Harmony secures rights to make 'the one ring'". Mg.co.za. 31 December 2001. Retrieved 26 May 2018.