THE RAND GOLD MINING INDUSTRY. II5 



From that table certain conclusions are apparent : 



(a) The tonnage of ore crushed has increased fourfold since IQ03, 



and is still increasing. 

 ( h ) The total mining dividends attained a maximum in 1909, and the 



gold yield in 1912. 



(c) The percentage which the Rand gold constitutes of the world's 



annual output has doubled since 1903, and is now equal to about 

 three-eighths of the total. 



(d) The yield, cost and profit per ton of ore have all decreased to 



about two-thirds of the 1903 figures, the present cost being 



somewhat more than two-thirds, and the profit somewhat less 



than two-thirds. 

 (c) Working costs per ton of ore were the same in 1914 as in igoi), 



but the working profit about one-fifth less in 1914. 

 (/) The value of the present average gold yield per worker on the 



mines is 9s. iid. per day. 



Working costs would doubtless be lower now than in 1909 

 but for heavy increased expenditure due to safety and hygienic 

 measures in various forms, such as dust-allaying and ventilation 

 underground, relief to disabled workers, expenditure due to 

 industrial disturbances, and to the increased cost of mining sup- 

 plies. As it is, the larger scale of operations and the continual 

 advance in technical details promoting efficiency and economy 

 have only served to offset the additional expenditure due to the 

 causes stated. As regards the cost of supplies, it is considered 

 by one school of economists that the greater the success attained 

 in the exploitation of auriferous ores, the more does the in- 

 creased production and abundance of gold tend to raise working 

 costs through enhanced prices of mining supplies and commodi- 

 ties generally. 



Though the average working costs during recent years are 

 over 17s. per ton of ore, yet individual groups have obtained 

 costs of under 14s.*, and individual mines under 12s. f per ton. 

 This to a great extent has been due to the large scale of opera- 

 tions employed in such cases, and to the constant pressure caused 

 by the necessity of profitably handling low-grade ore. If such 

 differences are applied to the total ore tonnage of the Rand, the 

 amount involved is nearly £4,000,000 per annum, and the fact 

 that the foregoing relatively low costs have been achieved is of 

 promise, inasmuch as similar conditions should in time induce 

 a general lowering of costs to conform with lower average ore 

 values, and thus prolong the life of the Rand by bringing within 

 the region of profit much ore which at present cannot be profit- 

 ably mined. 



Reviewing generally the position as displayed by the figures 

 in the table in conjunction with the evidence of the Transvaal 

 Chamber of Alines presented to the Economic Commission in 

 1913, which forecasts the future decline of the gold-mining 

 industry of the Witwatersrand, it might be concluded that this 

 industry has attained its zenith, and that whilst possessing the 

 vigour of maturity, it will gradually become a less important 

 factory in South African and the world's affairs than hitherto. 



* Report of Consolidated Gold Fields of South Africa, Ltd., for year 

 ended 30th June. 1914, p. 23. 

 t Ibid., p. 30. 



