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Witwatersrand Gold Mining Company, South Africa, circa 1888
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Witwatersrand Gold Mining Company, South Africa, circa 1888
Witwatersrand Gold Mining Company, South Africa, circa 1888 (Robert Harris studio). Date: circa 1888
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Media ID 14357115
© Mary Evans Picture Library/Pump Park Photography
1888 Harris Mining Witwatersrand
EDITORS COMMENTS
This photograph, taken by the Robert Harris studio circa 1888, offers a glimpse into the early days of the Witwatersrand Gold Mining Company in South Africa. The image showcases the raw power and scale of the gold mining industry that would come to define this region and contribute significantly to the country's economic growth. Located in the Witwatersrand Basin, the area around present-day Johannesburg, the Witwatersrand Gold Mining Company was established in 1886 to exploit the rich gold deposits discovered in the area. This photograph captures the company's mining operations in their infancy, with miners and laborers working tirelessly to extract gold from the earth using rudimentary tools and techniques. The landscape in the photograph is dominated by the towering headframes and shafts of the mining infrastructure, which loom over the workers and the vast, open-pit mines that stretch out before them. The image also reveals the harsh living conditions that miners and laborers endured, with makeshift shelters and temporary structures scattered throughout the camp. Despite the challenging conditions, the promise of wealth and opportunity drew thousands of prospectors and laborers to the Witwatersrand region, fueling the growth of the mining industry and the eventual emergence of Johannesburg as a major global city. This photograph serves as a poignant reminder of the human endeavor and determination that underpinned the discovery and exploitation of South Africa's valuable gold reserves.
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