Gold Fields Ltd. History

Company Perspectives:

Our vision is to be the leading, value-adding, globally diversified, precious metals producer through the responsible, sustainable, and innovative development of quality assets.

Key Dates:

1887:

Gold Fields of South Africa is formed by Cecil Rhodes and Charles Rudd.

1895:

George and Leopold Albu create the General Mining and Finance Corp.

1897:

The predecessor to Union Corp. is created by Adolf Goertz.

1932:

West Witwatersrand Areas Ltd. is formed to work the West Wits Line.

1965:

General Mining merges with Federale Mynbou.

1971:

West Wits takes over all of Gold Fields of South Africa's assets as well as its name.

1980:

Gencor Ltd. is born out of the merger between General Mining and Finance Corporation and Union Corporation.

1998:

Gold Fields of South Africa and Gencor merge to form Gold Fields Ltd.

2003:

The company enacts its first Black Economic Empowerment transaction to fulfill the new Mining Charter.

Company History:

Further Reading:

• "All That Glitters: Gencor," Economist, March 9, 1996.
• Benjamin, Paul, "Mining Stands on the Brink of New Era," Business Day, September 20, 1996.
• Beresford, Belinda, "Gencor to Separate Gold, Other Interests," Business Day, June 2, 1997.
• "Business: Panned," Economist, February 7, 1998, p. 65.
• Cartwright, A.P., Gold Paved the Way: The Story of the Gold Fields Group of Companies, London: Macmillan, 1967.
• Consolidated Gold Fields, London: Counter Information Services, 1973.
• Consolidated Gold Fields PLC: Partner in Apartheid, London: Counter Information Services, 1986.
• Dhliwayo, Dominic, "Mega Aluminum Smelter for Maputo?" African Business, January 1997, pp. 27-28.
• "Empowerment Deal for Gold Fields," Mining Journal, June 13, 2003, p. 393.
• Freimond, Chris, "Rob Angel--Driving Engen," Executive, May 1990.
• "Gencor to Shed Base Metals and Buy Australian Nickel," New York Times, June 19, 1997.
• "Gold Fields Looks to Expand Abroad," Platt's Metals Week, November 24, 2003, p. 4.
• Green, Timothy, The New World of Gold, New York: Walker and Co., 1981.
• Johnson, Paul, Consolidated Gold Fields: A Centenary Portrait, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1987.
• Jones, J.D.F., Through Fortress and Rock: The Story of Gencor 1895-1995, Johannesburg: J. Ball, 1996.
• Kilalea, Des, "Gencor Looks Ahead," Finance Week, April 27-May 3, 1989.
• McKay, David, "Gencor, Australian Firm in Indonesian Deal," Business Day, October 23, 1996.
• ------, "Gencor to Revise Mozambique Plan," Business Day, February 26, 1997.
• McNulty, Andrew, "Man of the Year--Gencor's Derek Keys," Financial Mail, December 25, 1987.
• Ross, Priscilla, "Implats' Impasse," African Business, June 1996, p. 22.
• ------, "Birth of a New Giant," African Business, April 1998, p. 14.
• Ryan, Brendan, "GFSA-Gencor Gold Merger," Financial Mail, October 17, 1997, p. 32.
• Scudder, Brian, "Tiny Shouts, But Nobody Listens," African Business, January 1996, p. 23.
• "South African Conglomerates: The Unbundling Begins," Economist, May 15, 1993.
• "South African Gold: A New Vein," Economist, September 27, 1997.
• "South African Gold Giants to Combine," New York Times, October 11, 1997, p. D14.
• "Unbundling: Restructuring the Corporate Scene," Barron's, October 11, 1993, p. 72.

Source: International Directory of Company Histories, Vol.62. St. James Press, 2004.

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