Illegal mining has become an increasingly lucrative industry with Springs CPF chairperson Barend van Heerden, who says it’s worth an estimated R13-billion a year.
There is illegal mining happening in areas around Springs, including Selection Park, Daggafontein and Dersley.
Miners are not just looking for gold-bearing material, but for coal too, which can sell for approximately R50 a bag depending on the seller.
“In our patrols around the community we come across these guys when they’re working.
“Quite often most will run away when they see us, but some are heavily armed and start shooting at us.
“Some have relatively sophisticated operations in terms of how they find it, refine and resell it.
“For example, with gold dust, jewellers use that when resizing gold wedding bands,” says van Heerden.
Once miners have established there is gold bearing material in the soil, they will use mercury to purify it.
Van Heerden explained it wasn’t possible to track the miners down by looking at who was buying mercury as it is readily available in everyday household products.
Also see: Meeting fruitful between mining company and community
“I can go to Mica and buy a float switch and that has mercury inside.
“That’s why they steal lots of these kind of products,” says van Heerden.
With the illegal miners comes a wave of crime, especially in winter as it becomes too cold for the miners to operate.
“We tend to see a lot of house break-ins during this time because of that,” says van Heerden.
Illegal miners are extremely territorial and conflict between the different factions will often be deadly, hence the reason for them moving so often.
When asked who these illegal miners were, van Heerden says it’s a mixture of people from local, ex-miners and foreign nationals.
It’s an ongoing problem that shows no sign of stopping.
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