The vast Witwatersrand goldfield, where the Stilfontein mine is located, was the focus of a heady gold rush in the 19th century. But the once-flourishing commercial gold mining industry has gone.

sparking the Witwatersrand gold rush. The miners’ village, known as Ferreira’s Camp, boomed, and within just 10 years became the biggest town in South Africa: Johannesburg was born.

Johannesburg was discovered in 1886, following the discovery of the main Witwatersrand gold reef, which today houses the world's deepest mine. The Witwatersrand, known locally as the Rand and ...