goldfields south deep mine
South Deep is a bulk mechanised underground gold mine in South Africa, 90% owned by Gold Fields Limited, producing approximately 280,000 ounces annually from a 32-38 million ounce deposit with an 80-year life of mine, selling gold bullion to Rand Refinery for global distribution.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1950
- HeadquartersWestonaria, South Africa
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What goldfields south deep mine does
Gold Fields South Deep Mine is a bulk mechanised underground gold mining operation located in the Witwatersrand Basin near Westonaria, approximately 50km south-west of Johannesburg, South Africa. The mine extracts gold from the Upper Elsburg Reefs at depths of 2,800m to 3,300m below surface using destress cuts and longhole stoping methods, with ore processing capacity of approximately 330,000 tonnes per month through a five-stage recovery circuit comprising milling, gravity concentration, leaching, adsorption, and smelting. The mine holds mineral reserves of 32-38 million ounces, representing around 60% of Gold Fields Group's total Mineral Resources and supporting an estimated 80-year Life-of-Mine through 2101, with annual production capacity of approximately 280,000 ounces of gold.
The mine is 90% owned by Gold Fields Limited (JSE-listed, NYSE secondary) and 10% by Black Economic Empowerment shareholders including the South Deep Community Trust and South Deep Education Trust. Following the 2008 R4.3bn mine upgrade programme (which ended conventional mining), the 2016 R2.3bn Rebase Plan, and 2018 restructuring, the mine returned to profitability in 2019. Operations are supported by the R715m Khanyisa 50MW solar PV plant (generating 103GWh/year at 8.5% of Eskom grid cost), a Surface Control Centre for remote and automated operations, Sandvik battery electric vehicle deployment, and community programmes serving nine host communities with a combined population of approximately 109,000.
South Deep operates a pure commodity business model: all gold bullion produced is sold directly to Rand Refinery, which refines it to 99.99% purity for distribution to global jewellery manufacturers, central banks, and investors. Revenue is therefore a direct function of gold output and realised gold price, with no pricing discretion. The workforce totals approximately 4,984 people (2,310 full-time employees plus 1,674 contractors), and the mine holds certifications including ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, International Cyanide Management Code compliance, and World Gold Council Conflict-Free Gold Standard.
goldfields south deep mine firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- goldfields south deep mine
- Legal name
- Gold Fields Limited
- Website
- https://goldfields-southdeep.co.za
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1950
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- South Deep is a bulk mechanised underground gold mine in South Africa, 90% owned by Gold Fields Limited, producing approximately 280,000 ounces annually from a 32-38 million ounce deposit with an 80-year life of mine, selling gold bullion to Rand Refinery for global distribution.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
goldfields south deep mine industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Gold Mining
- NAICS
- Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining (212220), Other Metal Ore Mining (21229), Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining (21222)
- SIC
- Gold And Silver Ores (1040), Metal Mining (1000), Primary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Gold Mining (IMAKAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Precious Metals Ore Processing & Beneficiation (IMAKAEAD)
Keywords
Where goldfields south deep mine is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Westonaria
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
goldfields south deep mine business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Gold Production and Sales: South Deep extracts gold ore from underground operations, processes it through milling, gravity concentration, leaching, and smelting to produce gold bullion bars. Finished gold bars are dispatched to Rand Refinery to produce 99.99% pure gold bars for sale on global markets. Revenue is generated through commodity sales at market gold prices.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
goldfields south deep mine product offering
Product offeringCore offering
South Deep Gold Mine is a bulk mechanised underground gold mining operation that extracts gold ore from the Upper Elsburg Reefs at depths of 2,700m to 3,300m below surface using destress and longhole stoping methods. The ore is processed through milling, gravity concentration, leaching, adsorption, and smelting to produce 99.99% pure gold bullion bars, which are sold directly to the Rand Refinery for global distribution. The mine has a 330,000 tonnes/month processing capacity and targets approximately 280,000 ounces of gold per year.
Product overview
Gold Fields South Deep Mine is a single, unified mining operation that extracts and processes gold ore into refined bullion. The core offering is underground bulk mechanised gold mining from the Upper Elsburg Reefs at extreme depths. Supporting this are the Khanyisa Solar Plant (providing renewable energy), the gold processing and recovery plant, the Innovation and Technology Modernisation program, community development initiatives, skills development and training programs, the Siyaphambili productivity improvement programme, and the Big 5 operational improvement projects. The South Deep Community and Education Trusts provide socio-economic empowerment for host communities. Together these components form an integrated mining operation focused on sustainable, mechanised gold production with a 80+ year life of mine.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Khanyisa Solar Plant: 50MW solar power plant at South Deep mine providing renewable energy to operations
- Siyaphambili
- Big 5 Projects
Products and services
- South Deep Gold Mine Operations World-class bulk mechanised underground gold mining operation located in the Witwatersrand Basin near Westonaria, South Africa, extracting gold from the Upper Elsburg Reefs at depths of 2,700m to 3,330m below surface using mechanised destress and longhole stoping methods. Produces gold bullion bars sold to the Rand Refinery with capacity to process ~330,000 tonnes of ore per month and produce ~280,000 ounces of gold per year.
- Khanyisa Solar Plant 50MW solar photovoltaic power plant covering 105 hectares that generates approximately 103GWh/year, providing about 20-24% of South Deep's electricity needs and reducing carbon emissions by over 110,000 tonnes annually. Powers the equivalent of 5,000 households and yields R123 million annual savings (24% of electricity costs) at 8.5% of Eskom grid cost.
Quantifiable outcome
- Mineral reserves of 32-38 million ounces equivalent to 80,000-100,000 gold bullion bars
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use goldfields south deep mine
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
goldfields south deep mine technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
goldfields south deep mine partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- SandvikminorSandvik partnered with South Deep to install 100 solar-powered street lights in the Thusanang informal settlement, benefiting over 1,091 households. The project created temporary employment for 19 local community members and enhanced community safety.
- Sibanye-StillwatercorePartnership agreement through which South Deep and Sibanye-Stillwater share knowledge, information and partner on specific projects and programmes. Both companies operate in the Rand West area and participate in the 27-member Rand West Stakeholders Forum.
- Mines Rescue Services (MRS)coreMines Rescue Services tested world-first technology developed in South Africa by South Africans for the South African mining industry at South Deep's Twin Shaft. The non-profit MRS collaborated with Minerals Council South Africa, DMRE and labour on this initiative.
- South Deep Community Trust (SDCT)coreIndependently governed trust receiving annual dividend income from the mine. Has a programme of community development and training projects contributing to job creation, adult education, infrastructure development and capacity-building assistance for emerging micro-enterprises.
- South Deep Education Trust (SDET)coreIndependently governed trust with five focus areas: education (facilities, scholarships, bursaries, school safety), legal resources, self-help and poverty alleviation, labour sending area funding, and charitable institution donations.
- Philani Community Development CentreminorThree-year project (2017-2019) where South Deep Trusts provided funding to help register and make compliant 32 community cooperatives. By end of period, 56% of cooperatives were generating income, impacting more than 280 people.
- Rand West City Local MunicipalitycoreSouth Deep participates in the socio-economic development initiatives of the Rand West City Local and West Rand District Municipalities. The municipality was handed ownership of solar lights installed at Thusanang settlement.
- Masebe FarmsminorThrough the South Deep Farmer Support Programme, the mine supports Masebe Farms with training and infrastructure development to transform from small-scale farm into commercially viable sustainable business in the Rand West City Local Municipality.
- Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA)minorSEDA supported the Philani Development Centre's Incubation Hub project to register and make compliant 32 community cooperatives with South Deep Trusts funding.
- Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP)minorGEP supported the Philani Development Centre's Incubation Hub project to register and make compliant community cooperatives with South Deep Trusts funding.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
goldfields south deep mine competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Newmont Corporation: World's largest gold miner with global underground and open-pit operations. Comparable as a tier-one gold producer with similar focus on bulk mechanised mining, autonomous equipment, ESG-led capital allocation, and reserve-life-driven valuation frameworks relevant to South Deep.
- AngloGold Ashanti: Global gold major with historical South African operations and current focus on Africa, Americas, and Australia. Comparable as a deep-level underground gold producer with similar ESG, tailings management, and labour relations challenges; several South Deep management team alumni previously worked at AngloGold Ashanti, indicating similar technical and operational profiles.
- Barrick Gold Corporation: Global gold major with a historical SA presence (formerly owned a stake in South Deep via Placer Dome). Provides a comparable for tier-one underground gold mining economics, bulk mechanised operations, and large-scale capital project execution in challenging jurisdictions.
- Agnico Eagle Mines: Senior Canadian gold producer with deep underground mining experience and long-life assets. Comparable for tier-one underground gold operation economics, reserve-life valuation methodology, and ESG/ICMM-aligned operating standards comparable to South Deep's certification stack.
- Gold Fields Limited (Group): Parent entity and JSE/NYSE-listed operator of South Deep and three other operating mines (Tarkwa, Damang, Gruyere in JV). Provides the most relevant comparable for the integrated portfolio context, capital allocation framework, and group-level sustainability metrics that govern South Deep's operations.
Direct peers
- Sibanye-Stillwater: Major South African gold and PGM miner headquartered in the same Rand West region as South Deep, with whom South Deep has a formal knowledge-sharing partnership and joint Stakeholders Forum participation. Operates multiple deep-level Witwatersrand gold mines (Beatrix, Driefontein, Kloof) facing similar geological, labour, and regulatory dynamics, making it the most directly comparable peer.
- Harmony Gold Mining Company: Largest gold producer in South Africa by volume, operating multiple deep-level Witwatersrand underground mines. Competes directly with South Deep for the same specialist labour pool, contract mining services, and regulatory access, and is exposed to the same Eskom energy and Mining Charter dynamics that drive South Deep's economics.
Regional players
- Impala Platinum (Implats): Major South African underground miner (PGM-focused rather than gold) operating deep-level mines in the Bushveld Complex with similar mechanisation, ventilation, and labour-relations challenges. Comparable for deep-level underground mining economics in South Africa and the regulatory/social licence to operate environment.
- DRDGOLD: South African gold producer focused on surface retreatment of tailings in the Witwatersrand basin rather than deep-level mining. Comparable as a regional SA gold operator with shared infrastructure (Rand Refinery) and similar community-relations dynamics, though operating in a structurally different cost position.
Emerging players
- Wesizwe Platinum: South African PGM-focused miner (Bakubung Platinum Mine) operating in the same North West / Gauteng region. Comparable as a smaller South African underground miner navigating BEE ownership structures, MPRRA licensing, and Eskom-dependency similar to South Deep.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
goldfields south deep mine social profiles
Digital presencegoldfields south deep mine compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance12 records
goldfields south deep mine financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
goldfields south deep mine leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
goldfields south deep mine funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
goldfields south deep mine M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about goldfields south deep mine
What does goldfields south deep mine do?
South Deep Gold Mine is a bulk mechanised underground gold mining operation that extracts gold ore from the Upper Elsburg Reefs at depths of 2,700m to 3,300m below surface using destress and longhole stoping methods. The ore is processed through milling, gravity concentration, leaching, adsorption, and smelting to produce 99.99% pure gold bullion bars, which are sold directly to the Rand Refinery for global distribution. The mine has a 330,000 tonnes/month processing capacity and targets approximately 280,000 ounces of gold per year.
Is goldfields south deep mine a public or private company?
goldfields south deep mine is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was goldfields south deep mine founded?
goldfields south deep mine was founded in 1950. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is goldfields south deep mine based?
goldfields south deep mine is headquartered in Westonaria, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does goldfields south deep mine make money?
One revenue line is on record: gold Production and Sales.
Who are goldfields south deep mine's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Newmont Corporation, AngloGold Ashanti, Barrick Gold Corporation, Agnico Eagle Mines and Gold Fields Limited (Group). Direct peers are Sibanye-Stillwater and Harmony Gold Mining Company. Regional players are Impala Platinum (Implats) and DRDGOLD. Wesizwe Platinum is listed as an emerging player.
Does goldfields south deep mine have an API?
No public API is recorded for goldfields south deep mine.
What industry is goldfields south deep mine in?
goldfields south deep mine's product category is Gold Mining. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAKAEAA, Gold Mining, with a secondary code of IMAKAEAD, Precious Metals Ore Processing & Beneficiation. Its NAICS code is 212220 and its SIC code is 1040.