Miners drilling for gold at depth paid little attention to shallower natural gas, scattered across the Free State from Virginia to Welkom, that today’s exploiters might well sell back to them as a power generation fuel. Happily hoisting helium balloons at the media function to announce the discovery is Afrox MD Schalk Venter (extreme right). Looking on is, from left, The Linde Group’s global gases head, Nick Haines, Renergen CEO Stefano Marani and The Linde Group’s senior process engineer, Dr Alexander Brandl. The plant, which will use Linde separation technology, is expected to substitute South Africa’s current helium imports. Proven reserves of natural gas and helium currently stand at 25-billion cubic feet.