Four men were arrested in Theunissen and Welkom, for illegal mining, on Thursday.
They are between the ages of 28 and 40 years old.
They were caught in possession of gold-bearing material, contravention of the Immigration Act and trespassing.
Police seized suspected gold bearing material weighing 25.32 kilograms, in Welkom, as well as two pick axes, two garden spades, a steel plate and a self-made strainer.
Similarly, they confiscated gold bearing material weighing 46,60 kilograms, in Theunissen, along with 20 litre buckets, a steel plate, garden spade, a shovel, and a pick axe.
Police vowed to continue their Operation Prosper, jointly with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), Public Order Police (POP) and Mine Security.
Picture: SAPS newsroom