No, not fossicking in this one, though the link at the end may provide access to other news?
In June, 1960, I joined Gold Fields of South Africa, Limited and was seconded as Secretarial and Accounts Assistant to the holding company, Consolidated Goldfields of South Africa Limited, in their Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, office. This was a company founded by C J Rhodes, which strange to relate bore little influence in the gold mining world at that time, compared to its South African subsidiary. In fact it was often claimed that the South African subsidiary on occasion directed London Head Office business.
Such was the power of South African gold – so much so that the Rhodesian staff was totally motivated in their efforts to discover a gold prospect with ore reserves sufficiently large enough to justify a claim to be the largest ever Rhodesian producer. Many and various were the prospects examined, but nothing of any consequence materialized during my employment – not even alluvial prospecting on river systems flowing out of the eastern border. There had been earlier hopes that the Matapa Mine, on the Lonely Mine Road, north out of Bulawayo would become the company’s flag-ship, but ten years operation ended in failure.
Part of my duties was to relieve the Bulawayo Area Mine Secretary when he took leave, to carry out temporary duties on both the Dawn Gold Mine, also on the Lonely Mine Road, and the Marvel Mine at Filabusi; both of these operations, whilst successful, fell short of flagship status. On one of my Bulawayo spells the Chief Geologist, the late Dr. Max Mehliss showed me the archived copy of the splendid prospectus issued by the Board of Directors to would-be shareholders – with an expert opinion by the Chief Geologist – the same Dr. Mehliss – that the mine would not be viable, due to arsenic complications in the ore-body. Nevertheless the flotation went ahead, only to fail after ten years operation, and the company ( Matapa Gold Mining Co.) went into voluntary liquidation – not a happy ending.
On a subsequent Bulawayo trip, having to spend a week-end in Bulawayo – I eagerly accepted an offer from Dr. Mehliss to accompany him on a visit to a gold prospect to the east (and a bit southerly) of Bulawayo. It was after lunch when we set off, and we went on and on. By the time I had opened three gates I was fully acquainted with why I had been given the invitation – but I was completely fascinated
with the country and by Dr. Max’ wry comments - on and on we went – only stopping at a store for a cool drink – and on and on again, until we reached the destination – the Renco Mine – just before nightfall, and not so keen on the return trip in the dark? We met the prospector/smallworker/fossicker, whose name is on the tip of my tongue (Vermaas? Vermaak?); long chats and descriptions of the complex ore body – at least as much as was then known – and a belated but very welcome casserole supper and to bed – an army type stretcher, and a blanket on the verandah and I was asleep in seconds. Awakened at daylight by the largest German Shepherd dog that I have ever seen licking my face… and eventually, by mid-morning, with gate opening (and closing!) skills at the ready - a long slow return to Bulawayo. Cons Gold Fields eventually purchased the claims, subsequently selling on to R D Kennedy of Marvel Mine, Filabusi.
Are you still with me? If you are, do you want to know a more recent status of the Renco Mine and can it turn out to be the long sought Zimbabwean/Rhodesian Flag-Ship ?……. then CLICK HERE
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