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Research in Other Countries => South Africa => Topic started by: Meredith48 on Sunday 06 April 14 00:35 BST (UK)
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I'm hoping someone can help with a street address for the Jupiter Gold Mine near Johannesburg. I've found stories of the Mine, and have photographs brought back by my Grandfather who worked in the mine between 1910 and 1914. A couple of his photos are marked "Catlin Shaft". Am hoping that there is still some evidence of the complex, as my sister is visiting Johannesburg soon.
Thanks, Meredith
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It seems to be near the tourist attraction of "Gold Reef City". "Street address" is more American. It will have been extensive and more hidden underground than a specifically having a "Street Address". I see it mentioned as still operating as it seems to causing problems for "Gold Reef City".
"In the largest basin, the water level has been rising at an average rate of 0.59m per day since July 2009. By end-November 2010, mine water reached a level of 510m below surface at the Catlin shaft of Simmer & Jack. It is expected that the rising water level would reach the surface by March 2013".
“By this time, however, it will have sterilised still exploitable gold reserves located at a depth of less than 400m below surface,” read the report. “Of greater concern is that it will not only have flooded the shallower underground tourist facilities at Gold Reef City, but also compromised the shallow groundwater resource associated with the dolomitic strata located to the southeast of Johannesburg.
It seems if you go to "Gold Reef City" the mine will be around there.
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Thank you, Barryd. That's brilliant. I can now search current maps etc. Thank you for your efforts, Meredith.
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As far as I can recall, Jupiter Mine was nowhere near Gold Reef City which is situated on what used to be Crown Mines but was in Germiston in the Driehoek area. It was next to Simmer & Jack on which mine the Catlin Shaft was located.
Dave
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Some info' here:-
http://travelingluck.com/Africa/South%20Africa/Gauteng/_993520_Jupiter.html
Scroll down to Gold Mine
Regards
Malky
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I would be wary of this site as there is certainly no railway station or line in the place shown.
Dave
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This creates a dilemma....I thought it would be relatively easy to find, but I suppose there were many mines in the area around the turn of the 20th Century, and most of them would now be defunct.
Thanks so much for your input, Dave and Malky.
Hoping some further resource is found which could settle this. My tourist sister won't have time or resources to do any searching once she arrives in Johannesburg, so I'd love to be able to give her a definitive location to go to.
Regards,
Meredith
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"I would be wary of this site as there is certainly no railway station or line in the place shown."
Problem is that there is a Jupiter mine which is not a gold mine, and not in Johannesburg, and there is a gold mine in Jupiter, Johannesburg.
Ye just take yeer pick.
Regards
Malky
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Meredith,
It is close to 30 years ago that I was last in this area but if you enter Jupiter, Germiston, South Africa into Google Earth it will show you how the vicinity looks today. It is now an industrial area but the large brown and yellow parts are the remains of the mine dumps and slimes dams from when the mines were still active. There appear to be no large relics viewable from the air so it is probably not worth a visit.
Dave
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Jupiter Mine was next door to the Simmer mine in Germiston. They both went into liquidation in 1920. The Simmer and Jack Mine is now a living museum. At the entrance to Germiston, on the western side, is a fountain in the shape of a mine headgear; the play of the water and brilliant illumination at night contribute to a spectacular effect.
Hope this helps
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Thanks to everyone who contributed to my search for the Jupiter Mine. All the info helped me pin the location down - I've just met up with a relative of a relative who lived in Jo-Burg for a few years, and has been able to confirm locatation of the mine - it is just to the west ( maybe south-west) of the Geldenhuys Interchange on the road from Johannesburg to Germiston.
What an adventure.
thanks, Meredith