Jun 18, 2014 6:30 AM

Gallery: The Toxic Landscape of Johannesburg's Gold Mines

Photo: Jason Larkin
01
PRESSURISED WATER, Krugersdorp, Johannesburg, 2013
'Pressurised Water, Viscount Road, near Main Reef Road, Randfontein, Krugersdorp, Johannesburg, 2013.' High-powered water canons are started in preparation for reclamation of a mine dump. About 30 bars of pressure are needed to break up and turn the sand into slurry, which is then transported to the processing plant where any remaining gold content is extracted. It will take around four years to reclaim the remaining four-and-half million tons of sand.
Photo: Jason Larkin
02
NEUTRALISED AMD, Randfontein, Johannesburg, 2012
'Neutralised AMD, Tweelopies Road, near Main Reef Road, Randfontein, Johannesburg, 2012.' This unlined pit located between the mine dumps is the receptor pit for neutralised acid mine drainage from mining operations nearby. But even after neutralisation, this ever-growing, sludge-and-water mix has elevated levels of heavy metals like uranium, manganese, aluminium, lead, copper and cobalt.

Photo: Jason Larkin
03
BREAKING DOWN THE DUMP, Krugersdorp, Johannesburg, 2013
'Breaking Down the Dump, Krugersdorp, Johannesburg, 2013.' High pressured water is used to break down the mine dump and create an easily transportable slurry through a network of pipes to the central processing factory, where remaining gold content will be extracted.
Photo: Jason Larkin
04
HOMELESS, West Turffontein, Johannesburg, 2013
'Homeless, West Turffontein, Johannesburg, 2013.' Zizone, has been living on the mine dump for one month. Mentally ill and unemployed he feels safe on top of the mine where he recycles small amounts of plastic for money.

Photo: Jason Larkin
05
‘TOP STAR’, Boysens, Johannesburg, 2010
‘Top Star, Boysens, Johannesburg, 2010.' The outdoor drive-in screen of the Top Star Cinema still standing on a mine dump that is being reprocessed around it. A reported $10 million worth of latent gold was recovered from this dump over three years.
Photo: Jason Larkin
06
ADMI RECYCLES OFF A RUBBISH DUMP, ON A MINE DUMP, Turffontein, Johannesburg, 2010
'Admi, Turffontein Road exit, Booysens, Johannesburg, 2010.' Admi, 38, collects recyclable material from a municipal rubbish dump to sell to scrap and recycling businesses, averaging a daily income of R150. Several unusual rubbish dumps like this are on top of old mine dumps that were sold or rented to the municipality many years ago by mining companies.

Photo: Jason Larkin
07
AMD, Robertville, Johannesburg, 2011
'AMD, Robertville, Johannesburg, 2011.'
Photo: Jason Larkin
08
WINTER FIRES, City Deep, Johannesburg, 2010
'Winter Fires, City Deep, Johannesburg, 2010.' A fire breaks out on a mine dump that is now covered with trees and vegetation. Mining companies started to plant vegetation on dumps in the 60's to help stop the ongoing dust problems.

Photo: Jason Larkin
09
Jason Larkin
'Girls, Medway Street, River Lea, Johannesburg, 2012.' Hundreds of thousands of people across the southwest of Johannesburg live in communities located around some of Johannesburg's largest mine dumps.
Photo: Jason Larkin
10
PANNING FOR GOLD, Krugersdorp, Johannesburg, 2010
'Panning For Gold, Krugersdorp, Johannesburg, 2010.' Zaia Mugabe collects water needed in the process of recovering latent gold from an abandoned mine dump. Together with his friend they reprocess around 30 bags of soil a day from the dump through an old and time consuming method to extract fine pieces of gold. They are able to recover about 0.5-0.6g a day which they sell for nearly £15 ($22).

Photo: Jason Larkin
11
COMMERCIAL RUBBISH DUMP, City Deep, Johannesburg, 2010
'Commercial Rubbish Dump, City Deep, Off Rosettenville Road, Booysens, Johannesburg, 2010.' Birds flock around a commercial rubbish dump on an old mine.
Photo: Jason Larkin
12
DANIEL AND THE HUNTING DOGS, Selby, Johannesburg, 2012
'Daniel and the Hunting Dogs, Selby, Central Johannesburg, 2012.' Daniel watches over the hunting dogs he looks after on the mine dump he lives on.

Photo: Jason Larkin
13
MINE DUMP SAND, Roodeport, Johannesburg, 2012
'Mine Dump Sand, Roodeport, Johannesburg, 2012.' Children play with the toxic sand from the nearby mine dump after it's washed into the streets by rain water and dries up.
Photo: Jason Larkin
14
N8, Soweto, Johannesburg, 2010
'N8, Intersection of New Canada Road and N17 High Road, Soweto, Johannesburg, 2010.' A newly constructed road around a still-used tailings dam belonging to DRD Gold, which owns over 150 mine dumps across Johannesburg. Much of Johannesburg's infrastructure is situated on land near to, or even on top of, old mining sites.

Photo: Jason Larkin
15
SPORTS PITCH, CENTRAL JOHANNESBURG COLLEGE, Crown Mines Site, Johannesburg, 2010
'Sports Pitch, Central Johannesburg College, Crown Mines Site, Johannesburg, 2010.' Football teams play in the shadow of one of Johannesburg's largest mine dumps. The football pitch was built by DRD Gold who owns the land and mine dump.
Photo: Jason Larkin
16
Overlooking the Community of Davidsonville, Roodeport, Johannesburg, 2012
'Overlooking the Community of Davidsonville, Roodeport, Johannesburg, 2012.'

Photo: Jason Larkin
17
RDP HOUSING, Riverlea, Johannesburg, 2010
'RDP Housing, Aalwyn Road, Riverlea, Johannesburg, 2010.' New affordable housing constructed in front of a large mine dump that is being reprocessed for traces of gold. Many commercial and residential developments of the last few decades are near, or on, old mining sites containing hazardous waste, causing concern amongst residents and environmental groups.
Photo: Jason Larkin
18
Communal Sunday Prayers, City Deep, Johannesburg, 2013
'Communal Sunday Prayers, City Deep, Johannesburg, 2013.'

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