Gold

Provenance

Gold has been mined for thousands of years, and its provenance spans across the globe. The most significant sources of gold today include South Africa, Russia, Australia, and Canada. South Africa, particularly, has a long history with gold mining, especially with the deep mines of the Witwatersrand Basin, which have produced a substantial portion of the world’s gold. Russia’s Siberian regions and Australia’s outback are also key gold-producing areas, contributing significantly to global supplies.

Gold mines are divided into two categories:

Industrial mines

artisanal small scale mines (ASM)

Small-scale mines employ more than 14 million people in Africa and represent 17%-20% of global gold production compared to industrial mines which employ about 2-4 million and produce about 80% of gold worldwide.

It is important to first understand the differences between industrial and artisanal gold mining. Artisanal mining often relies on manually dug shafts and teams of laborers above and below ground who sometimes work in day and night shifts to process ores from shafts that can reach depths of 100 meters. Whereas Industrial mining frequently makes use of “open pit” mining and involves more highly mechanized and safer work practices. The latter is often privileged by governments in receiving permits.

Impact

Gold’s geographic distribution means it is deeply intertwined with the economic histories of these nations. For instance, the gold rushes in Australia in the 19th century played a pivotal role in its development, while South Africa’s gold mines have been central to its economic and industrial history.