Ngokusho kombiko weBloomberg News ngoFebhuwari 24, 2021, iHarmony Gold Mining Co. icabanga ngokwandisa ukujula kokumba ngaphansi komhlaba emgodini wegolide ojulile kakhulu emhlabeni, njengoba abakhiqizi baseNingizimu Afrika bethole, Sekunzima kakhulu ukumba izindawo zokugcina i-ore ezinciphayo.
Isikhulu esiphezulu seHarmony uPeter Steenkamp uthe inkampani ifunda ngokumbiwa kwezimayini zegolide eMponeng ngale kokujula kwamanje okungamakhilomitha angu-4, okungase kwandise impilo yemayini ngeminyaka engama-20 kuya kwengama-30. Ukholelwa ukuthi izindawo zokugcina insimbi ngaphansi kwalokhu kujula “zinkulu”, futhi iHarmony ihlola izindlela kanye nokutshalwa kwezimali okudingekayo ukuthuthukisa lawa madiphozithi.
I-Harmony Gold Mining Company ingenye yabakhiqizi begolide abambalwa abasele eNingizimu Afrika abathole inzuzo ngempahla egugile. Yasekelwa yi-African Rainbow Minerals Ltd., inkampani engaphansi kwesigidigidi esimnyama uPatrice Motsepe, ngonyaka odlule. Yathenga iMboneng Gold Mine kanye nempahla yayo kwa-AngloGold Ashanti Ltd., yaba umkhiqizi wegolide omkhulu kunabo bonke eNingizimu Afrika.
I-Harmony imemezele ngoLwesibili ukuthi inzuzo yayo engxenyeni yokuqala yonyaka ikhuphuke ngokuphindwe kathathu. Umgomo wenkampani ukugcina umkhiqizo waminyaka yonke weMboneng Gold Mine cishe ungama-ounces angu-250,000 (amathani angu-7), okungasiza ukugcina umkhiqizo ophelele wenkampani ungaba ama-ounces ayizigidi ezingu-1.6 (amathani angu-45.36). Kodwa-ke, njengoba ukujula kokumba kukhuphuka, ingozi yezehlakalo zokuzamazama komhlaba nokufa kwabasebenzi abavaleleke ngaphansi komhlaba nayo iyanda. Le nkampani ithe phakathi kukaJuni noDisemba ngonyaka odlule, abasebenzi abayisithupha babulawa ezingozini zokumba ngesikhathi sokusebenza kwenkampani.
Imayini yegolide yezinga lomhlaba yaseMboneng okwamanje iyimayini ejulile kakhulu emhlabeni, futhi ingenye yezimayini zegolide ezinkulu nezisezingeni eliphezulu. Imayini itholakala emaphethelweni asenyakatho-ntshonalanga yeWitwatersrand Basin eSifundazweni saseNyakatho-ntshonalanga eNingizimu Afrika. Iyidiphozithi yegolide-uranium yasendulo yohlobo lweRand. Kusukela ngoDisemba 2019, izinqolobane ze-ore eziqinisekisiwe nezingaba khona zeMboneng Gold Mine zingaba ngamathani ayizigidi ezingu-36.19, izinga legolide lingu-9.54g/t, kanti izinqolobane zegolide eziqukethwe zingaba ama-ounces ayizigidi ezingu-11 (amathani angu-345); Imayini yegolide yaseMboneng ngo-2019 Ukukhiqizwa kwegolide okungama-ounces angu-224,000 (amathani angu-6.92).
Imboni yegolide yaseNingizimu Afrika yake yaba ngenkulu kunazo zonke emhlabeni, kodwa ngenxa yokwanda kwezindleko zokumba izimayini zegolide ezijulile kanye nokwanda kobunzima be-geological, imboni yegolide yezwe iye yehla. Njengoba abakhiqizi begolide abakhulu njenge-Anglo Gold Mining Company kanye ne-Gold Fields Ltd. beshintsha ukugxila kwabo kwezinye izimayini ezizuzisayo e-Afrika, e-Australia naseMelika, imboni yegolide yaseNingizimu Afrika ikhiqize amathani angu-91 egolide ngonyaka odlule, futhi okwamanje abasebenzi abangu-93,000 kuphela.