I totally missed that you said "gold" in the subject line! Duh! Information I found: Cecil Rhodes and Charles Rudd founded the original Gold Fields of South Africa in 1887.............such mines as Simmer & Jack and Robinson Deep on the Central Rand. But ultimately, in the 1930s, it discovered and developed the 'West Wits Line' of the Far West Rand gold field, 80 miles west of Johannesburg. The first mine was Venterspost in 1939, followed by Libanon, West Driefontein, Doornfontein, Kloof, East Driefontein and Deelkraal. Johannesburg Consolidate Investments gold mining house was formed in 1887 around the investments of the Barnato brothers, who had already made their fortune in diamonds at Kimberley. Its early mines included Langlaagte Estate (which became Johannesburg) and Randfontein Estates and later Randfontein and H. J. Joel. Union Corporation was founded in 1893 by Adolf Goerz, a young German mining engineer who had come to South Africa in search of gold five years earlier. Its early mines included East Geduld and Modderfontein Deep Levels, and then, in the 1950s, the four mines of the Evander field east of Johannesburg, and St Helena in the Orange Free State. Rand Mines, the South African mining house, originated as H. Ekstein & Co. in 1887. They developed East Rand Proprietary Mine (ERPM) and Durban Deep, Those above were the mines of the 19th century. Anglo American came along in 1917....their mines I listed in my first email. Anglovaal was still later in 1955, and had Hartebeestfontein (in Klerksdorp area) Hope that helps Namaste, Irene -- Irene de Villiers, B.Sc AASCA MCSSA D.I.Hom/D.Vet.Hom. P.O. Box 4703 Spokane WA 99220. www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/clickhere.html (Veterinary Homeopath.) "Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt one doing it."