Africa
Since 1905 South Africa, including Transvaal, Cape Colony, and Natal, has been the leading gold producer of the world, a position that would have been attained several years earlier had not the Boer War interfered. In 1917, gold valued at $186,255,000, or nearly half of the world’s output, was produced, the greater part being derived from the Witwatersrand, or Rand, near Johannesburg, Transvaal. Production in 1918 fell to $174,068,000.
Gold was first discovered in the Transvaal in 1870, but production was not important previous to the discovery of gold on the farm Langlaagte, Witwatersrand, in 1885. The mines are spread along a belt extending some 62 miles from Randfontein on the west to Holfontein on the east. This belt contains the largest deposit of gold that has ever been found in one place, and its gold content probably equals that of all the other known gold fields of the world combined. The ore is not exceptionally high grade, but can be economically treated in large quantities. The deposit, it has been estimated, may represent $3,000,000,000 to $4,000,000,000 from about 40 square miles, of which about half had been extracted by 1916.
Gold occurs both in vein and placer deposits in Natal and Cape Colony, but the output is small.
Rhodesia, in seventh place in 1913, has developed rapidly in recent years as a producer of gold and now outranks Mexico. According to Portuguese records, gold was mined in Rhodesia as early as 1788. The discovery in 1866 of ancient ruins and of ancient gold mines at Zimbabwe gave rise to the hypothesis that Rhodesia was the Ophir of the Scriptures. Although numerous attempts were made to open the gold fields, no measure of success was obtained until 1891, and only during the present century has the true character of the Rhodesian gold-quartz veins been recognized. The settlement of the country and the development of the mines is the result of the efforts of Cecil Rhodes and the Charter Company.
The gold is widely distributed and most of the mines are small. The future of the country as a gold producer would seem to depend upon the operation of the lower-grade ore bodies by large companies. The Shamva mine is a conspicuous example.
West Africa, especially the Gold Coast, is the only region of Africa, other than the Transvaal and Rhodesia, producing gold in important quantities. The output of the British West Africa colonies in 1917 amounted to about $7,500,000. The unhealthful climate of the region will probably prevent for some years any extensive mining operations by white men.
Gold mines are also worked in Abyssinia, Belgian Congo, Egypt, French East Africa, the former German East Africa, Madagascar, and the Sudan, but the total annual production from all these countries is little more than $2,000,000. The rock carvings and the hieroglyphics of ancient Egypt indicate that northern Africa and the region along the Nile River were important sources of the gold of the ancient world.
Australasia
For many years Australasia was a close rival of the United States as a gold producer, frequently outranking this country. Since 1903 there has been a rapid decline, and Australasian production in 1917 was less than one-half the production of the United States. However, Australasia still ranks third and produced 11.3 per cent. of the world’s output in 1913 and about 8.3 per cent. in 1917.