The beauty of underground mines in Africa
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The beauty of underground mines in Africa
Who says underground mining is not beautiful?
By Leon Louw for the WhyAfrica magazine.
Deep within the Namaqualand Metamorphic Complex in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, nature paints with broad strokes.
Painters in the late Renaissance and Baroque periods starting using broad strokes to emphasise and focus on the overall effect of the painting (the big picture in other words) rather than focusing on minute details.
The effects of this style in some of the underground tunnels at the Steenkampskraal Thorium and REE mine in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, are dramatic.
A close look at high grade REE
WhyAfrica’s team took a closer look at the wonder world of Steenkampskraal during the 2025 WhyAfrica Road Trip through South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini and southern Namibia.
Steenkampskraal is one of the world’s highest-grade Rare Earth Element (REE) deposits.
The mine was originally developed in the 1950s to support early nuclear research.
Today, the project is being redeveloped to produce REEs essential for modern technologies, including electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defence systems.
With exceptionally high grades, existing underground infrastructure, and proximity to ports and power, Steenkampskraal is a significant South African asset, positioning the country as a potential key supplier in the secure and diversified REE supply chain.
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The beauty of underground mines in Africa
