Jagersfontein
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Jagersfontein
| pushpin_map = South Africa Free State#South Africa
| coordinates = {{coord|29|45|43|S|25|25|36|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = South Africa
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = Free State
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = Xhariep
| subdivision_type3 = Municipality
| subdivision_name3 = Kopanong
| subdivision_type4 = Main Place
| established_title = Established
| government_type = Municipality
| leader_party = ANC
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = xolani stalin-tseletsele[http://www.freestatetourism.org/Towns/Jagersfontein.php?town=Jagersfontein Free State Tourism.org] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106174720/http://www.freestatetourism.org/Towns/Jagersfontein.php?town=Jagersfontein |date=2014-01-06 }}
| area_footnotes = Sum of the Main Places [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/461008 Jagersfontein] and [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/461009 Itumeleng] from Census 2011.
| area_total_km2 = 45.5
| population_total = 5729
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_density_km2 = auto
| demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011)
| demographics1_title1 = Black African
| demographics1_info1 = 80.9%
| demographics1_title2 = Coloured
| demographics1_info2 = 12.5%
| demographics1_title3 = Indian/Asian
| demographics1_info3 = 0.5%
| demographics1_title4 = White
| demographics1_info4 = 5.6%
| demographics1_title5 = Other
| demographics1_info5 = 0.5%
| demographics_type2 = First languages (2011)
| demographics2_title1 = Sotho
| demographics2_info1 = 51.8%
| demographics2_title2 = Afrikaans
| demographics2_info2 = 25.3%
| demographics2_title3 = Xhosa
| demographics2_info3 = 11.2%
| demographics2_title4 = Tswana
| demographics2_info4 = 6.5%
| demographics2_title5 = Other
| demographics2_info5 = 5.2%
| timezone1 = SAST
| utc_offset1 = +2
| postal_code_type = Postal code (street)
| postal_code = 9974
| postal2_code_type = PO box
| postal2_code = 9974
| area_code_type = Area code
| area_code = 051
}}
Jagersfontein is a small town in the Free State province of South Africa.
Origin
The original farm on which the town stands was once the property of a Griqua Jacobus Jagers, hence the name Jagersfontein. He sold the farm to C.F. Visser in 1854.
Mining
===Diamond rush===
A diamond rush started in 1870 after farmer J.J. de Klerk found a 50 carat (10 g) diamond. This was about three years before diamonds were discovered 130 km away at Kimberley.
Jagersfontein is known for many great finds, such as:
- the 972 carat (194.4 g) Excelsior Diamond of 1893 and
- the 637 carat (127.4 g) Reitz Diamond of 1895.
==Jagersfontein Mine==
{{Main|Jagersfontein Mine}}
Jagersfontein Mine together with the Koffiefontein mine produced some of the clearest diamonds of all mines in the early 1900s, despite being overshadowed by the mines at Kimberley. Streeter called Jagersfontein's diamonds of the "first water".{{cite book |url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20050221083602651C821320 |first=Edwin |last=Streeter |title=Precious Stones and Gems - Their History, Sources and Characteristics |publisher=George Bell & Sons |year=1898 |page=105}}
The Reitz diamond was first named after Francis William Reitz, then state president of the Orange Free State in which Jagersfontein is located. The following year marked the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria (the 60th anniversary of her coronation) so the gem was renamed the Jubilee Diamond to commemorate the occasion.[http://famousdiamonds.tripod.com/jubileediamond.html The Jubilee Diamond]
==Main Pit Operations==
The Jagersfontein Mine is currently the deepest hand-excavated hole in the world.
For the duration of the mine's operational history, it was run by De Beers up to 1972, when it was deproclaimed. De Beers did however retain prospecting rights on the property until 2002.
==Stockpile Dumps Reprocessing==
A court case, De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd v Ataqua Mining (Pty) Ltd, in December 2007,related to historic stockpile dumps were found not subject to the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act. All standard National Environmental Management Act processes however still applied.{{cite web | url=http://www.saflii.org/za/cases/ZAFSHC/2007/74.html | title=De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd v Ataqua Mining (Pty) Ltd and Others (3215/06) [2007] ZAFSHC 74 (13 December 2007) }}{{cite web | url=https://cer.org.za/virtual-library/judgments/high-courts/de-beers-consolidated-mines-ltd-v-ataqua-mining-pty-ltd-and-others | title=De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd v Ataqua Mining (Pty) Ltd and others | date=12 December 2007 }}{{cite web | url=https://hsfnotes.com/africa/2020/07/08/the-unregulated-terrain-of-historic-mine-dumps-in-south-africa/ | title=The Unregulated Terrain of Historic Mine Dumps in South Africa | date=8 July 2020 }}{{cite web | url=https://engineeringnews.co.za/print-version/historic-dumps-do-not-appear-to-be-mprda-regulated-law-firm-2020-07-19 | title=Engineering News - 'Historic dumps' do not appear to be MPRDA regulated – law firm }}{{cite journal | url=https://journals.co.za/doi/10.10520/EJC54729 | title=Status of tailings dumps : Let's go working in the past? | journal=Stellenbosch Law Review | date=January 2010 | volume=21 | issue=1 | pages=116–131 | last1=Badenhorst | first1=P. J. | last2=Van | first2=Heerden C. N. }}
Limited Reprocessing operations at the mine was eventually started in September 2010 by a company named Son Op before it changed its name to Jagersfontein Development.
Reinet Investments of Luxembourg became involved around 2011, but eventually sold out to Stargems Group around early 2022.[http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20050221083602651C821320 IOL: Free State town forgotten in history]
Tailings dam collapse
{{Main|2022 Jagersfontein Dam Collapse}}
At around 6am on Sunday 11 September 2022, parts of a tailings dam collapsed on the outskirts of Jagersfontein.{{cite web | url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/free-state/three-dead-after-dam-wall-collapse-wreaks-havoc-in-jagersfontein-336d7b1c-4e4b-4fa6-9e1c-c3614f06b930 | title=Three dead after dam wall collapse wreaks havoc in Jagersfontein }}{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/south-africa-mine-dam-wall-collapses-killing-three-injuring-40-2022-09-11/ | title=South Africa mine dam wall collapses, killing 1 and injuring 40 | newspaper=Reuters | date=11 September 2022 | last1=Dludla | first1=Nqobile }}{{cite web | url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2022-09-11-mining-company-says-deadly-dam-wall-collapse-will-be-investigated/ | title=Mining company says deadly dam wall collapse will be investigated }}{{cite web | url=https://www.news24.com/fin24/companies/jagersfontein-disaster-dubai-based-owner-says-survey-showed-dam-was-safe-secure-20220912 | title=Jagersfontein disaster: Dubai-based owner says survey showed dam was 'safe, secure' }}{{cite web | url=https://ewn.co.za/2022/09/12/owners-of-jagersfontein-mine-dam-were-warned-to-stabilise-wall-fs-govt | title=Owners of Jagersfontein mine dam were warned to stabilise wall - FS govt }}{{cite web | url=https://www.miningreview.com/health-and-safety/tailings-dam-in-south-africa-collapses-several-dead/ | title=Tailings dam in South Africa collapses - several dead | date=11 September 2022 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-09-13-owners-of-free-state-diamond-mine-were-warned-to-cease-operations-two-years-ago/ | title=JAGERSFONTEIN DISASTER: Owners of Free State diamond mine 'were warned to cease operations two years ago' | date=12 September 2022 }}{{cite web | url=https://ewn.co.za/2022/09/14/jagersfontein-developments-operations-at-mine-were-above-aboard | title=Jagersfontein Developments: Operations at mine were above aboard }}{{cite web | url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-09-14-mantashe-says-dangerous-high-court-judgment-crippled-his-departments-jurisdiction-over-all-tailings-dams/ | title=JAGERSFONTEIN DISASTER : Mantashe says 'dangerous' high court judgment crippled his department's jurisdiction over all tailings dams | date=13 September 2022 }}
{{Multiimage
| image1 = Jagersfontein Mine dam before collapse.jpg
| caption1 = The Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8 acquired the image on 10 September 2022, the day before the dam collapse.
| image2 = Jagersfontein Mine dam after collapse.jpg
| caption2 = Almost one month after the collapse, satellite images show that the landscape remains altered by the coating of sludge. The Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2) on Landsat 9 acquired this image on 4 October 2022.
| align = center
| total_width = 600
}}
Urban electrification
Jagersfontein was the second town in South Africa and the first town in the Orange Free State to have electricity and piped water.[http://www.openafrica.org/horizon/jagersfontein/history?ned_=6239796d7b040bfb231c25bf2a6670d6 OpenAfrica.com] {{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
In the early years, water used to be supplied with a unique system of coin-operated water pumps, using so-called Water Pennies,[http://www.tokencoins.com/gr07.htm#jagers Some rare South African tokens from the Nomansland region] situated on street corners.
See also
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Xhariep District Municipality}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Populated places in the Kopanong Local Municipality