Upward Spiral 1471 Advances Sustainable Gold Mining at Snake Road on the East Rand
Privately owned mining company Upward Spiral 1471 (Pty) Ltd is preparing to commence full-scale mining operations at its recently acquired Snake Road Mining Right in Benoni, located on South Africa’s East Rand.
The Snake Road operation will focus on an established gold-bearing reef that extends laterally from the Snake Road area to Upward Spiral 1471’s Van Ryn surface mining operation in Benoni, enabling operational continuity and geological alignment between the two sites.
Exploration activities began in late 2025 following the successful transfer of mining rights and associated licences from the previous operator. After securing all regulatory approvals, the company advanced to detailed exploration, geological modelling and open-cast mine planning in preparation for production.
According to Jackie Pahad, Managing Director of Upward Spiral 1471, the Snake Road project has been developed with a strong emphasis on compliance, sustainability and community engagement.
“The Snake Road mine represents a controlled, compliant and sustainable mining development that balances production with safety, environmental responsibility and meaningful community participation. It enables us to unlock value from an established mineral resource while delivering lasting benefits to surrounding communities,” Pahad said.
Historically, the site was used primarily for aggregate mining, with only limited gold extraction through surface reef picking. Current gold market conditions have, however, made it viable for Upward Spiral 1471 to implement a selective, lower-impact gold mining strategy.
Thabang Masuku, Metallurgical Manager, highlighted the operational flexibility of the project, noting that at the planned production rate the mine is economically robust. Under favourable market conditions, throughput can be increased through the installation of a second mill, potentially doubling monthly processing capacity and optimising returns during strong gold-price cycles.
The Snake Road Project is a near-surface, conventional gold mining operation supported by a well-defined development plan and an inferred mineral resource of approximately 128,603 ounces of gold. Monthly production is expected to increase from 579 ounces to as much as 1,158 ounces, subject to market conditions and operational expansion.
The operation is projected to be profitable and has been structured to ensure long-term environmental stewardship, with dedicated rehabilitation funding and rigorous safety systems. The defined resource supports an initial mine life of approximately 10 years, with the potential for extended life and accelerated production if a second processing plant is commissioned. Overall, the project represents a financially sustainable small- to mid-tier gold mining operation.
To minimise environmental impact, Upward Spiral 1471 will not construct a tailings dam at Snake Road. Instead, filtered tailings produced using belt filtration will be blended with sand-dump rehabilitation material from another programme, maintaining viable grades for toll treatment and ensuring safe, compliant disposal. Process water will be sourced through filtered water recovery and thickener overflow circulation.
The project is expected to generate sustainable employment, with approximately 68 permanent positions to be created initially. Employment levels are expected to rise as production expands, with operations conducted on continuous shift cycles to support stable, long-term jobs.
Most employees will be recruited from surrounding communities, supported by graduate development initiatives and skills-training programmes aimed at building local capacity.
The Snake Road operation is fully licensed, with mining rights formally transferred and all amendments approved by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR). Compliance includes environmental authorisations, water-use and waste-management approvals, updated environmental management programmes and applicable air-emissions licences.
“Our philosophy is to exceed regulatory requirements rather than simply meet the minimum,” Pahad added. “Strong governance and responsible mining are central to our long-term strategy.”
With construction already underway and plant commissioning scheduled for later this year, the Snake Road Project marks another milestone in Upward Spiral 1471’s commitment to responsible resource development—delivering economic value while ensuring land is left safe, stable and productive for future generations.
