Germiston, Industrial city in Gauteng, South Africa
Germiston is an industrial city in Gauteng province, positioned east of Johannesburg at an elevation of 1,620 meters above sea level. The cityscape is dominated by factories, storage facilities, and refineries spread across connected transportation corridors.
The settlement began in 1886 after gold was discovered on the Elandsfontein farm, attracting prospectors to the area. From this early mining activity, it developed into a center for precious metal processing and later diversified manufacturing industries.
The city functions as an industrial center with a diverse population that speaks multiple languages and follows different traditions. Daily life here is shaped by the factories and refineries that define the urban landscape and local economy.
The city is well connected by road and rail, with the Rand Airport providing air access to the surrounding industrial and commercial zones. Visitors should expect longer travel times due to the spread-out layout and heavy industrial traffic that characterizes the area.
The Rand Refinery, founded in 1921, processes roughly 70 percent of the world's gold, making it one of the most significant precious metal processing facilities globally. This specialized role makes the city a worldwide hub for gold refining, even though actual mining operations have moved elsewhere.
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