Eersteling - bakermat van die Suid-Afrikaanse goudmynbedryf.

Abstract

• Opsomming: Die Eersteling-goudveld in Noord- Transvaal. is van besondere belang in die geskiedenis van die Suid-Afrikaanse goudmynbedryf want dis die plek waar goud vir die eerste keer op groot skaal in Suid-Afrika ontgin is nadat dit in 1871 deur die prospekteerder Edward Button ontdek is. In 1872 het Button na Groot-Brittanje gegaan en die Transvaal Gold Mining Co. Ltd. gestig. Deur aandele te verkoop, het hy genoeg kapitaal verkry om die moderne toerusting te koop wat nodig was vir die grootskaalse ontginning van goud by Eersteling. Met die uitbreek van die Eerste Vryheidsoorlog in 1880 is die werksaamhede by die myn gestaak en is eers weer hervat nadat begin is om ander goudvelde in die distrik Soutpansberg te ontwikkel. Die ontdekking van goud aan die Witwatersrand in 1886 het die meeste delwers daarheen gelok met die gevolg dat Eersteling verwaarloos is. Hoewel Eersteling nooit weer dieselfde bloeitydperk beleef het nie, word ontginning vandag nog op klein skaal daar voortgesit. As gevolg van die styging in die goudprys is daar tans hernude belangstelling in Eersteling en moderne toerusting word tans aangewend om die rykdomme van hierdie gebied te ontgin.

• Summary: The Eersteling gold-fields in the Northern Transvaal are very important in the history of the South African gold-mining industry. There, for the first time, gold was mined on a large scale in South Africa following its discovery in 1871 by the prospector Edward Button. In 1872 Button went to Great Britain where he formed the Transvaal Gold Mining Co. Ltd. From sale of stocks he obtained the capital required to buy the modern equipment necessary for large scale gold-mining at Eersteling. His activities were interrupted by the outbreak of the first Anglo-Boer War in 1880, and were recommenced only when other gold-fields were being developed in the Soutpansberg district. When gold was discovered on the Witwatersrand in 1886 most of the diggers flocked there, leaving Eersteling almost to itself. Although Eersteling never experienced a boom again, mining activities were continued and have lasted into the present time. The present high gold price has resulted in a renewed interest in the Eersteling gold-fields, where modern equipment is used to exploit the riches of this area.