Luipaardsvlei Gold Mine Lease

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The Luipaardsvlei Gold Mine Company was formed in London on 5th May 1888 for GBP250,000, which Gold Fields of South Africa Limited received shares in the company as vendor consideration.

In 1927, the General Manager of the mine engaged a man to prospect a number of claims owned by the mine. A series of ancient trenches, old winzes and stopes bore testimony to previous operations undertaken in the very early days of exploration (pre Boer War). During this period, the Main and South Reefs were being extensively mined.

Work continued predominantly on the Main and South Reef for the next 20 years. However, by 1956, the Company's annual report showed that the Company's shares had significantly depreciated. Two factors were responsible; a reduced milling capacity (down to 8,600 tonnes) from the Main Reef to create milling capacity for Bird Reef production. Difficulties also arose from disappointing downward extensions to the workings where severe faulting continued to retard the development of new ore reserves in the southwest portion of the mine. By 1958, reports show that the operations in the gold section were encountering increased difficulties, though those in the uranium section were expanding.

In the next 12 years, uranium took over as the primary source of income, but on 31st March 1970 the last blast occurred on the Luipaardsvlei lease.