West Wits Mining is building a new legacy in gold mining, combining exploration, strategic development, and responsible production across South Africa and Australia. We dig beneath the surface with CEO, Rudi Deysel.
PROCURING PRECIOUS PROSPECTS
The boundless mining industry in South Africa (SA) has traditionally centred on the extraction of gold and diamonds, and whilst the sector has declined from its historical peaks, mining remains a significant national priority, notorious for its production of platinum, manganese, chrome, and other minerals.
Today, the industry faces numerous challenges from ageing infrastructure, high operating costs, and declining demand, contributing to a loss of jobs and the rise of illegal, gang-controlled mining.
However, despite these issues, the sector is still a vital source of revenue and employment across SA. Amid these realities, junior mining companies are emerging as agile, innovative players able to carve opportunity out of complexity.
Within this vast and evolving landscape, West Wits Mining (West Wits) is actively mobilising to bring a new era of gold mining development to Johannesburg, guided by a clear focus on responsible exploration, disciplined project execution and long-term community and shareholder value.
“At present, there are many examples of junior mining companies beginning to assert themselves within the African mining space as some of the largest players have diversified and moved into alternative international markets,” introduces Rudi Deysel, CEO.
“We see ourselves as a team of professional miners who strive for the highest possible standards. The responsibility we take, exploration and planning work we do, and quality of our operations continue to set us apart,” he sets out.
BUILDING A CAREER
Having meticulously worked his way into the upper echelons of the industry through a variety of positions over the last 25 years, Deysel holds degrees in geophysics and mining engineering from the University of Pretoria and has also obtained his Master of Business Administration (MBA), which has helped shape his career to date.
As a result, he now boasts extensive production experience in conventional narrow tabular underground mining, as well as open cast operations and various mining commodities including gold, platinum group metals (PGMs), copper, and cobalt.
“Mining is in my blood. My father-in-law is also a mining engineer and studied at the same university as me before taking some impressive senior positions in big corporations across SA. I’m lucky to have that mentor on my doorstep to learn from.
“I’ve also always seen myself as a people person and decided early on that I was more interested in managing operations and navigating the production side of the business,” he recalls.
As a result, Deysel previously managed several brown and greenfield mining projects in SA, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Ghana, which added to his vast scope of experience across mine development, pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, and execution operations.
AFRICAN AND AUSTRALIAN OPERATIONS
West Wits currently splits its focus between two major projects. Firstly, the Witwatersrand Basin Project (WBP) in SA is proudly regarded as the company’s flagship operation.
The iconic basin holds the world’s largest known gold reserves and has produced over 1.5 billion ounces to date, which represents about 22 percent of all the gold accounted for above the surface.
Today, the WBP is made up of three reef mining targets which will be developed sequentially – Kimberley Reef, Main Reef, and Bird Reef.
“I would describe us as Africa-driven with a growing international footprint, and we see strong potential for continued growth through our projects in both SA and Australia.”
“The WBP is set to transform West Wits into a long-term gold producer,” Deysel remarks.
Elsewhere, West Wits’ other key undertaking is the Mt Cecelia Project, located on the border of the East Pilbara and Paterson provinces of Western Australia (WA).
This represents a fresh start and a new mining area that is generating significant industry excitement around its recent positive prospecting results.
The project encompasses 225 square kilometres of highly prospective ground, strategically located adjacent to tenements held by Rio Tinto.
“At this point, we’re basically part of a joint venture (JV) with Rio Tinto whereby their drilling work focuses more on base metals, and we maintain our long-term focus on gold procurement,” he tells us.
“As a 100 percent-owned greenfield project, Mt Cecelia is in many ways a mirror image of the rejuvenation of the WBP. It is a fundamentally attractive exploration project with every prospect of establishing itself as a profitable long-term operation for the company.”
“It’s a great story to be able to say we opened the country’s first underground gold mine in 15 years”
Rudi Deysel, CEO, West Wits Mining
QALA SHALLOWS
West Wits is currently sharpening its focus on the Qala Shallows mine – the first phase of the WBP – a South African gold development transitioning from early-stage construction to full-scale production, with first gold targeted for the first half of 2026.
Named appropriately, the word ’qala’ means to start anew, providing an excellent metaphor for West Wits’ rejuvenation of an established resource in one of the world’s most historic gold mining cities.
“We need to make sure we can walk before we run. It’s therefore a priority for us to get this site in operation so we can create good cash flow and start building revenue for the company which will, in turn, lead to enhanced opportunities moving forwards,” Deysel states.
The shallow, underground mine will effectively utilise contract mining and existing processing facilities, with recent funding rounds securing the necessary capital to advance the project to a profitable, steady-state operation.
West Wits proudly leverages regional manufacturers, suppliers, equipment, and contractors for this project, which empowers not only the business as a proudly Australian-listed, South African company, but the nation as a whole.
“It’s a great story to be able to say we opened the country’s first underground gold mine in 15 years.
“Our view is that there are more great opportunities to capitalise on in Africa with plenty of hidden treasure out there in terms of exploration potential,” he prides.
In terms of building a lasting legacy, West Wits endeavours to forge its reputation as a responsible gold miner, strong business, and company that can become a serious player in the African mining industry.
“Ultimately, we want to grow to be a mid-tier category gold company as soon as possible, and that legacy will then look after itself,” Deysel concludes.
WEST WITS MINING PARTNERS
