Deepest Mines in the World

About This Dataset

The world's deepest mines ranked by depth below the surface in metres. The Mponeng gold mine in South Africa is the world's deepest mine, extending to over 4,000 metres below the surface — where temperatures can reach 66°C before refrigeration systems cool the working environment to a survivable level.

✨ AI Insight

The significant depth of the Mponeng mine at 4,000 metres sets it apart from its closest competitor, the TauTona mine at 3,900 metres, illustrating a remarkable gap of 100 metres. This trend continues down the list, with the Savuka mine at 3,774 metres and the East Rand mine at 3,585 metres, all emphasizing South Africa's leadership in deep mining. The extreme conditions at these depths, including temperatures that can reach 66°C, necessitate advanced refrigeration systems to ensure miner safety. The presence of multiple South African mines in the top rankings reflects not only the country's rich mineral resources but also its long history and expertise in deep mining technology.

Source: Guinness World Records

Key Findings

Auto-computed highlights from this dataset

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Mponeng (South Africa) leads with 4,000 in All Time.

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Average value in All Time: 3,427 · median: 3,503.

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Gap in All Time: Mponeng (South Africa) is 1.6× larger than Creighton (Canada).