At approximately 3.9 kilometers (2.4 mi) deep, it is home to the world's second deepest mining operation, rivalled only by the Mponeng Gold Mine, formerly Western Deep Levels No.1 Shaft.

TauTona neighbours its sister Mponeng and Savuka mines, with which there are interconnections underground on various levels.

TauTona Shaft remains in commission, but Carbon Leader reef mined at TauTona is trammed underground to Mponeng, where it is hoisted to surface and processed at the Mponeng Plant.

However, the Carbon Leader Reef (CLR) , which is located several hundred metres in the footwall of the VCR, remains relatively untouched, and forms the basis of TauTona's new lease on life.

The mine was a dangerous place to work, with an average of five miners dying in accidents each year.

[5] The shaft conveyances that transported the workers from the surface to the bottom travelled at 16 metres per second (36 mph / 58 km/h) so together with travelling in man carriages operating in the haulages, the journey to the working stopes and development ends could take over an hour from the surface.

[6] The mine has been featured on the MegaStructures television program produced by the National Geographic Channel.

In the 2008 financial year, there were 7 fatal accidents at AngloGold Ashanti's West Wits operations in which 14 miners died, four of those at the TauTona mine.