South Africa used be the world’s king of gold, accounting for half of all the gold in the world. Just 20 ago, it was producing over 1000 t of gold a year and now produces about one tenth of that. How is it with South Africa having the second highest resources next to Australia, is now lagging behind Ghana in Africa? Because resources are not reserves and will not attract investment. But although South Africa is now Africa’s second-largest gold producer, after Ghana, its gold mining industry still accounts for more than 21% of the continent’s total mined gold production, precious metals refining and smelting complex Rand Refinery CEO Praveen Baijnath has told Mining Weekly. Also, there is significant potential in going back to old mines and resurrecting them, as Blyvoor Gold is doing on the Far West Rand. Blyvoor will mine differently, more profitably, more safely and with considerably more backing from employees and the community.