VOLUME 33
. JUNE 2013
INSIDE: The role of the Council for The role of the Geoscience and the Department of Mineral Resources in the organisation th Council for Geoscience of the 35 IGC I 1 Danie Barnardo Ranking of major water ingress areas and the Department of in the East Rand I 2 Marubini Selaelo Mineral Resources in the Shale gas cap rocks in the Karoo Basin I 3 th Dawn Black organisation of the 35 IGC Location of seismic events in the Central Rand GoldfieldI 5 Azangi Mangongolo Open-source geophysical 3D modelling and interpretation I 6 Patrick Cole Assessment of aquatic environments in the Witwatersrand goldfieldsI 7 Vongani Maboko German-South African workshop on data integration techniques applied to Earth science data I 8 Detlef Eberle Earthquake catalogue for southern Africa I 9 Thifhelimbilu Mulabisana Geochemical mapping in KwaZulu- Natal I 10 Sibongiseni Hlatshwayo/ Eliah Mulovhedzi Promoting geoheritage in the Cape Mxolisi Kota and Richard Viljoen, Co-Presidents of the Local Organising Committee. I 12 Doug Cole At the 33rd International Geological The South African Government clearly Celebrating International Museum Congress (IGC), which was held in demonstrated its support for this event Day I 13 Oslo, Norway in 2008, the Council for by discussing the 35th IGC at a Cabinet Kholisile Nzolo Geoscience led the bid to host the Meeting on 18 April 2012. Feedback th New fluxer for the Laboratory I 14 35 IGC in 2016, supported by the from the meeting indicated that the Corlien Cloete Geological Society of South Africa Cabinet endorsed the importance of and the South African Ambassador the 35th IGC and supports the event. The Council for Geoscience cares 15 I to Norway. The comprehensive bid Annabel Graham document and a promotional video At the 34th IGC, which was held in Excellent achievement I 16 were funded by the Council for Brisbane, Australia, between 5 and Geoscience. By now it is well known 10 August 2012, the Government that the bid was won by South Africa again showed its support when the against fierce opposition from India Honourable Ms Susan Shabangu, and Morocco and that the 35th IGC will MP, Minister of Mineral Resources be held at the Cape Town International delivered an address at the closing Conference Centre from 27 August to ceremony of the congress and 4 September 2016. invited the delegates to South Africa 2 I GeoClips
for the next IGC. The Chairperson • Second three CGS staff members playing a pivotal role in promoting the of the CGS Board, Prof. Ngoepe, to the Foundation to form the establishment of a Global Geopark in also promoted the 35th IGC at Secretariat of the Foundation, the Western Cape as a major legacy this congress. The Minister of the conference. The Council for continues to address the support • Provide an interest-free loan of Geoscience is also supporting the of the Department of Mineral R5 million as seed money for the promotion of the Tswaing Impact Resources to the 35th IGC during organisation of the 35th IGC. Crater as a Global Geopark. Parliamentary Budget Speeches and the Director-General of the In addition, a number of CGS staff Clearly, without the vision and Department, Dr Thibedi Ramontja, members are involved in the Local continued support of the Council for is a staunch promoter and Organising Committee (LOC) for the Geoscience and the Department of supporter of the congress. 35th IGC and Mr Mxolisi Kota, the Mineral Resources, as well as the CEO of the Council for Geoscience, Geological Society of South Africa The Council for Geoscience, as has been appointed as Co-President and all the other organisations that the principal driving force behind of the LOC. are part of the team, it would not the 35th IGC, initiated the formation be possible for South Africa to be of a not-for-profit company to take To date, all LOC meetings have been the host of the next International responsibility for the congress. It held at the Council for Geoscience, Geological Congress. also signed an agreement with the which provides continued logistical company (the 35th IGC Foundation) support for the meetings at its Head transferring the responsibility of Office in Silverton. The Western th For more information contact: organising the 35 IGC from the Cape Regional Office in Bellville also Council for Geoscience to the provides valued support when needed. Danie Barnardo Foundation. In this agreement, Secretary-General: 35th IGC the Council for Geoscience Geoheritage is one of the key +27 (0)12 841 1072 demonstrates its continued support focus areas of the 35th IGC and the [email protected] by agreeing to: Western Cape Regional Office is
Ranking of major water ingress areas in the East Rand
The Council for Geoscience has been pumping water in the East Rand Basin and bottom sealing of dams, in-situ tasked by the Department of Mineral when pumping ceased in February sealing of dams, gravity-assisted Resources to conduct research to 2011. Therefore, the volume of water siphon constructions and grout identify sustainable management ingressing into underground workings curtains. The water ingress areas were options to prevent ingress of surface must be reduced in order to keep the ranked, based on certain criteria, by and groundwater into underground water level below the environmental using the Analytical Hierarchy Process workings. Water ingress is the critical level (ECL). Above this level, (AHP), a multicriteria decision- movement of water from surface water in the mine void will result in the making system for expressing and environments to the subsurface outflow of contaminated water to the manipulating results mathematically. and the underground mine voids, surrounding environment. These criteria include ingress as well as groundwater regional volume, safety to humans, area of flows intersecting the underground To date, roughly fourteen major water ingress zone, properties of ingress workings. Ingress is caused by ingress areas have been identified. area (k-transmissivity), availability of preferential flow paths, both natural Eleven major water ingress areas funding, costs, ingress water quality (in the case of geological structures were previously identified by SRK (pH, EC), design and construction and water-bearing formations that in 2005, while three were added by time, dolomite and re-watering, flow promote the rapid flow of water) the Council for Geoscience in 2012. rate, surface elevation difference/aerial and man-made (in the case of mine These ingress areas contribute and volumetric increases and access workings such as shafts, inclines different volumes of water to the and permits/licensing. The ingress and tunnels providing access points underground workings. The Council areas which received the highest from the surface to the underground for Geoscience came up with several ranking values were then prioritised workings). Mining activities in the interventions to reduce the ingress for the implementation of preventive Witwatersrand gold basin have been volume. These interventions include measures. Based on the ranking ongoing for more than 125 years and river channel diversions, river channel criteria, the Council for Geoscience the Grootvlei Mine was the only mine repairs, canal constructions, draining will focus on the central Blesbokspruit Geoclips - June 2013 GeoClips I 3 and southern Blesbokspruit for river channel diversion, the Cowles Dam and Geduld Dam for bottom sealing dam intervention and river channel repair for the Van Ryn (Rynfield) Dam.
Towns Industrial Area Main Roads For more information contact: Rivers and dams Wetlands Mine residue deposits Selaelo Marubini Defunct coalmine (Largo) Discharge points Water Geoscience Unit Main Reef Sub-outcrop +27 (0)12 841 1489 0 6km [email protected] Location of major water ingress areas.
Shale gas cap rocks in the Karoo Basin
Foredeep Stages of Age Stratigraphy Basin evolution
Tatarian Overfilled Phase 250 (nonmarine) Field Kazanian Late Permian Ufimian mapping Filled phase Kungurian 260 (marine)
Artinskian ermian 270 P Sakmarian Early Permian Ecca Group Late
280 Underfilled phase Asselian (deep marine)
290 Early Late Carboniferous 300 fluvial marine glacial-marine Borehole SFT 2 ~30Ma stratigraphic hiatus/ 320 forebulge (basal) unconformity Serpukhovian
Namurian 330 +/- onset of subduction and tectonic loading
Carboniferous (end of extensional Cape Basin) Visean Cape Supergroup Early (Ma)
Ecca Group stratigraphy with typical field and downhole geology.
Natural gas, derived from South Africa relies on its energy undertaken jointly by the Council for hydrocarbon-rich shale formations, needs being met by the exploitation Geoscience, Inkaba yeAfrika and has the potential to be an efficient, of coal. However, owing to declining the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan clean burning and affordable energy natural reserves, there has been University is currently focusing on the source, if produced responsibly. Gas a renewed interest in alternatives Collingham Formation of the Ecca extraction from shale formations has including energy derived from shale Group, which is being considered as become a fast-growing industry in gas. With the emergence of shale a potential source and cap unit for the United States, where the energy gas as an economically viable source possible hydrocarbon reservoirs. demands from natural gas totals of fuel, there is a renewed interest in approximately 85 %, of which 22 % is the shale gas potential of the Karoo The Main Karoo Basin in southern from unconventional sources such as sediments, particularly the Whitehill Africa covers approximately shale gas. Formation of the Ecca Group. A study 600 000 km2, with a maximum 4 I GeoClips Collingham Formation Prince Albert Formation
Drilling of Borehole SFT 2 near Jansenville in the Eastern Cape.
preserved thickness of 5 600 m. The strata of the Karoo Supergroup the geological formations penetrated The sedimentary sequence reflects in the Eastern Cape are being by the borehole. Samples were changing environments, from glacial documented through fieldwork and the then collected from the borehole for to deep marine, deltaic, fluvial and logging of a recently drilled borehole analysis. The logs produced provide aeolian, that have accumulated under near Jansenville, SFT 2, funded by a detailed description of the rock a range of climatic conditions within the GFZ German Research Centre characteristics of individual formations a variety of intracratonic tectonically for Geosciences in order to define the of the lower Ecca Group, including controlled depocentres. The litho- and chronostratigraphy of the stratigraphic constraints. sediments found in the Main Karoo Ecca Group and the potential of these Basin are the predominant host to rocks as a possible source of or cap to The drilling of SFT 2 had a number South Africa’s onshore fuel reserves. shale gas. On completion of the drilling of purposes including, but not limited The southern portion of the Karoo of Borehole SFT 2, the borehole to, the identification of geological Basin is potentially favourable for was logged in order to provide a contacts between the formations shale gas accumulation. detailed and continuous record of of the lower Ecca Group, the Geoclips - June 2013 GeoClips I 5 provision of detailed rock description Collingham Formation for Scanning characteristics of individual formations Electron Microscopy (SEM), polarised and horizons, adding to the existing light microscopy, X-Ray Fluorescence For more information contact: lithostratigraphic database, and the (XRF), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Dawn Black sampling a number of individual radiometric age dating (on zircons) Eastern Cape Unit horizons for specified analyses. and Total Organic Carbon (TOC) +27 (0)41 581 1164 analyses. The data from the various [email protected] Samples were collected from both analyses will be interpreted and the mudstone and tuff horizons of the compiled into a report.
Location of seismic events in the Central Rand Goldfield
The seismic activity associated with the ingress of water into the abandoned mines within the Central Rand is currently being monitored by a network of twelve seismological stations under the framework of the Strategic Water Management Project (SWMP). The ingress of water causes temporal stress and strain changes underground, which can be withstood by the rock materials up to the threshold that characterises the resistance of those rock materials. Beyond that threshold, the pressure that is released will trigger micro- earthquakes. Usually, the pressure is released along pre-existing geological features (faults or dykes) or through the creation of new features. The Location of the seismological stations (blue circles) accurate location of the triggered used for the location of micro-earthquakes in the Central Rand Basin. micro-earthquakes helps to identify the faults responsible for the seismic activity or those which have been the observed and the calculated areas; (2) although not all the events reactivated. The identification of culprit differential travel time between the fall along known faults and dykes, faults (or fractures) can be used for two earthquakes at one station can be active faults and other lineaments the modelling and monitoring of the attributed to the spatial offset (relative close to the clusters can now be fracturing process, and for seismic hypocentral parameters) between identified; (3) the location of clusters hazard analysis. these earthquakes, which is calculated seems to follow both a northwest with a high accuracy. and northeast striking zone and is In order to accurately locate seismic shown to be associated with faults events, a “multiple-events” method The advantage of “multiple-events” and dykes; (4) events of magnitude is used. This location method is location is the reduction of the cloud- >2.5 seem to occur mainly in the East based on the fact that two contiguous like (or diffuse) pattern of seismicity Rand Proprietary Mines (ERPM) and earthquakes produce similar seismic which is often observed. Using this not in the Central Rand; (5) diffuse waves recorded at a common station, method results in more of a clustered areas can still be recognised, east and the propagation paths of the pattern of seismicity which can easily and west of the Central Rand, outside seismic waves generated by the (but not always) help to correlate the network, and (6) the events are two earthquakes to that station are seismicity to the faults and/or dykes. located at a depth range of 0 to 9 km, similar. The respective locations with most of them being shallower of the two earthquakes (using the Earthquake data of the Central Rand than 4 km. differential travel times of the seismic Basin from April 2010 to October 2012 waves generated) can be determined produced the following results: (1) the The errors in the longitudes, simultaneously. The residual (known seismicity displays a clustering pattern latitudes and depths for most of the as double-difference) between related to the abandoned mining events located are between 56.1 and 6 I GeoClips
Location of micro-earthquakes in the Central Rand Basin using the “multiple-events” location method. Only some of the seismicity can be correlated with known dykes and faults.
800 m, 27.4 and 850 m and 53.5 and clustered and that it follows both building and construction codes 1 200 m respectively. These values a northwest and northeast striking suitable for the Central Rand Basin. are small compared with the “single- zone. Moreover, seismicity is event” location method where the demonstrated to be associated with errors are of the order of a thousand faults and dykes. Using well-located For more information contact: metres and greater. seismicity, the identified clusterings Azangi Mangongolo should help in understanding Seismology Unit The “multiple-event” location method the mechanism of water-induced +27 (0)12 841 1180 applied in the Central Rand Basin seismicity and enhance seismic [email protected] shows that seismicity is shallow, hazard studies to better evaluate
Open-source geophysical 3D modelling and interpretation
The Geophysics Unit of the Council advanced computing power available which are then “joined” up into for Geoscience has a long history nowadays, requires that these models 3D sections, or to model in full with cutting-edge technologies are preferably three dimensional. 3D using polygon-based models. that have been a trademark of It should come as no surprise Unfortunately, both techniques have the field of geophysics in general. therefore that a paper was published disadvantages. When modelling in This unit has, in particular, been in 2005 by Janine Cole and Leonie 2.5D, the impact of other profiles responsible for the development of Maré detailing the modelling of the is not always available on the a magnetotelluric system, an ultra- Trompsburg Complex using in-house current profile being modelled. The light airborne platform and various developed 3D software. problem is not present when full software packages used in-house for 3D algorithms are used, but 3D geophysical work. The allure of 3D modelling has long polygonal models, while it is easy to been a sought-after prize for many construct the initial model, are not The collection, interpretation and industries, including geophysics. as easy to edit in a short time span. modelling of potential field data are The software developed by the In some cases, the entire model standard functions of geophysical Council for Geoscience at the time must be recreated from scratch. The exploration. The low cost and allowed entry into this market. The ability to easily change a model is fast acquisition rate of airborne success, however, was to be short the very basis of forward modelling. magnetic data lead these to be lived. Modelling in 3D proved to be routinely collected in any brown- cumbersome and extremely time In 2011, disappointed by what was and greenfields exploration area. consuming — making all but the currently available at the time, a Gravity surveys are also a widely smallest models impractical. Our desire group of scientists, headed by Patrick used technique, with applications to improve on this remained, however, Cole and including Janine Cole and ranging from engineering geology and a watchful eye was kept on the Marinda Havenga, designed a 3D (e.g. sinkhole detection) to mineral industry’s progress in the development package which would allow rapid exploration (e.g. kimberlite detection). of 3D modelling software. modelling of potential field data. An integral part of the interpretation The interpretation experience of the of potential field data is the creation The current trend in modelling unit would be used in designing the of models. The availability of good- software is to follow either the prototype of what is now the current quality data sets, combined with the modelling of individual 2.5D profiles, PyGMI software package. Geoclips - June 2013 GeoClips I 7
PyGMI, in a nutshell, uses the principle that if you can draw a model, it can be represented in 3D. The interpreter simply draws in the various layers of the model, much like using a paint program. The painting is done on either horizontal model layers or vertical sections. This makes it extremely easy to create and especially change models. The successful implementation of this program has revolutionised modelling in the Geophysics Unit of the Council for Geoscience.
This rapid software development would not have been possible without the use of the open-source programming language Python. Its ease of use and vast set of libraries make it an important language for many large organisations such as “3D Model” tab. Google, Yahoo, Walt Disney, ESRI, The selected lithologies (olivine gabbro and mineralised gabbro) NASA and Nokia, to name a few. As are solid while the other lithologies are transparent. a scientific tool it easily rivals any commercial counterpart. downloaded from https://code. google.com/p/pygmi/. Models For more information contact: Following the vision at the created in the PyGMI software Patrick Cole organisation of supporting its can be exported to Google Earth Geophysics Unit stakeholders, the software was in a .kmz format, allowing for true +27 (0)12 841 1524 made open source and can be portability of modelling. [email protected]
Assessment of aquatic environments in the Witwatersrand goldfields
The state of the ecological health biological data provide further and — upstream, midstream and of rivers is a key issue in water complementary information on downstream. The study focused management. Measurement of biodiversity which is important in on the Jagspruit, Koekemoerspruit physicochemical parameters and understanding the structure and and part of Skoonspruit which chemical measures alone does functioning of the systems. Of all drain into the main Vaal River. not allow an assessment of the the different biological measures, These rivers flow through mining biological condition of surface diatoms, a major group of aquatic lease areas. Upstream regions waters. The Water Geoscience photosynthetic algae with silica of the river systems show Unit of the Council for Geoscience cell walls (frustules), were acceptable water quality and assessed the water quality of used as reliable environmental higher diatom species variation fresh water through the collection indicators because of their and diversity since they are of not only chemical and physical abundance and species diversity situated before mining areas data, but also biological data, by distributed amongst most aquatic are reached. Sites occurring using diatoms in the river systems environments (oceans, freshwater downstream of mining activities around the Evander, Free State and soils) of the Earth. revealed poor water quality and KOSH mining basins of the and frequent dominant species Witwatersrand goldfields. Currently, In the KOSH basin, situated (e.g. Nitzschia palea Kutzing only diatom-related biological west of Klerksdorp and south of and Gomphonema parvulum data from KOSH are reported. Hartebeesfontein, representative Kutzing), indicating superior Chemical data determine the samples were collected from resistance of these species degree of contamination or the three location types along stream to organic and heavy-metal trophic status of the rivers whilst and river system segments pollution. Furthermore, these 8 I GeoClips
species have been commonly the Vaal River (before and after recorded in nutrient rich and mixing with Koekemoerspruit). poorly oxygenated water. Diatom For organics, possible impacts cells with frustule deformities were observed upstream and were also observed with elevated downstream of Jagspruit and metal concentrations from the downstream of Koekemoerspruit. mining activities considered Only one site in the Jagspruit to be a contributing factor showed cause for immediate towards these abnormalities. concern with respect to salinity. In terms of risk assessment as a result of mining-related Through projects of this nature, the activities, from the variables Council for Geoscience continues Examples of diatom structures. assessed, all representative to consider the integration of sites investigated showed no physical, chemical and biological evidence for concern regarding measures needed to provide For more information contact: pH levels. However, a moderate a comprehensive, sensitive Vongani Maboko concern in regard to the possible assessment of river conditions and Water Geoscience Unit impacts on nutrients was revealed an appreciation of environmental +27 (0)12 841 1105 in the downstream sections of risks that potentially impact these [email protected] Jagspruit, Koekemoerspruit and river systems.
German-South African workshop on data integration techniques applied to Earth science data
Under the auspices of the German- three-year NRF-funded South e.g. vegetation discrimination or South African Year of Science (YoS) Africa-Germany cooperation project overcoming water quality issues 2012/2013, a workshop on data between the Council for Geoscience in the vicinity of tailings left in integration techniques for Earth and the German partner to abandoned mining areas. Interest system modelling and resource investigate methods suitable for the in mineral exploration targeting management was held in Pretoria integration of large data sets using and soil parameter predictions on 23 April 2013 at the International multivariate statistical techniques appeared to be more related to Conference Centre of the Council for such as the clustering methodology. specific national economic and Scientific and Industrial Research The need for data integration is societal interests in South Africa (CSIR). The workshop was jointly driven by the ubiquitous demand and Germany respectively. organised by Dr Detlef Eberle of to extract information from data as the Geophysics Unit of the Council comprehensively as possible in the The information sources underlying for Geoscience and Dr Sonali Das, shortest possible time immediately any of the aforementioned fields a statistician of the CSIR Built after acquisition. of application rely on similar or Environment Department. The topic even the same types of satellite of the workshop was the same as Topics of the second workshop imagery, airborne geophysical that of a previous YoS workshop ranged from finding optimal or hyperspectral data. There held in November last year at the sampling locations for ground- was a general consensus that Helmholtz Centre for Environmental truthing remote sensing data rapid analysis tools for objective Research (UFZ) in Leipzig, Germany. and the rapid and probabilistic probabilistic information extraction These YoS workshops provided well identification of zones in remotely from these common databases are over sixty participants the opportunity sensed data, potentially acting urgently required in both countries to network and exchange ideas on as functional units in terrestrial to keep up with the increasing data-driven integration techniques models. The handling of incomplete amount of data that can nowadays applied to Earth science related data, data under consideration of data be acquired by air- and space- such as large space-borne imagery uncertainty and Bayesian inference borne platforms in a short time. and airborne geophysical data sets. was also discussed. Fields of Currently, none of the available and application were, for example, operational methodologies, e.g. The two workshops were an directed towards vegetation species neural networks, Bayesian prediction essential part of a YoS project discrimination, mineral exploration and decision making, fuzzy cluster funded and supported by the targeting and hazard risk prediction. analysis or likelihood analysis enable South African National Research In combination with the workshop the exploration of comprehensive Foundation (NRF). This project was of last year, this event raised geoscientific databases in an all- preceded by an extremely successful more common fields of interests, embracing manner. Geoclips - June 2013 GeoClips I 9
Combining the strengths and was celebrated in Germany in the two countries will bundle their resources of both countries, the presence of a South African efforts to boost research for data Earth scientific and geostatistical delegation led by the Honourable integration and information extraction communities will be in a position Minister of Science and Technology, technologies which will pave the way to achieve substantial progress in Mr Derek Hanekom, MP, the for pushing Earth system modelling information extraction from integrated participants appreciated the and resource management to the geoscientific databases. Such message conveyed by the opening next level. progress is expected to improve address of the Counsellor of the quality of terrestrial models Research, Science and Innovation essentially required to understand, of the German Embassy in South predict and steer anthropogenic Africa, Ms Volk, that the Year of For more information contact: interactions with the environment as Science marks just the beginning Detlef Eberle well as resource management. of a deepened strategic long-term Geophysics Unit research collaboration between both +27 (0)12 841 1196 Whilst the end of the German– countries. South African and German [email protected] South African Year of Science scientists expressed their hope that
Earthquake catalogue for southern Africa
A GEM (Global Earthquake Modelling) partnership was initiated by the Global Science Forum of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and it seeks to be the first global, open-source model for seismic risk assessment at a national and regional scale, which it hopes to achieve through broad scientific participation. GEM aims Earthquake to create a common framework for Magnitude reducing earthquake risk by building 0.1 - 1.0 on state-of-the-art advances in seismic knowledge and improved 1.0 - 2.0 international cooperation in research. 2.0 - 3.5 GEM is the natural continuation of the 3.0 - 4.5 Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Programme (GSHAP) of 1992–1999, 4.0 - 7.0 as it harmonises methodologies and extends to earthquake risk. Earthquake epicentres from the catalogue for southern Africa. One of the procedures that GEM requires in order to accomplish its aims and therefore a rigorous analysis Further analysis, which includes is the compilation of an earthquake has been carried out to merge data studying in greater detail all moderate catalogue for Africa. The Council from the various data sources and to to large earthquakes (M≥5), is being for Geoscience has a team of staff remove the duplicates as well as the carried out to ensure that the best involved in compiling the catalogue induced events around all the mining possible catalogue for the region is for southern Africa (South Africa, regions and dam sites within southern obtained. The final catalogue will then Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana and Africa. Foreshocks and aftershocks be transferred to the team working Namibia). The process includes the of moderate to large earthquakes on calculating the seismic hazards, collection of data from the bulletins of have also been removed. In order to including calculations of the seismic various seismograph networks and ensure that all the teams working on source model and ground motion published articles from institutions the earthquake catalogue for Africa prediction equations. such as the Council for Geoscience, are using the same methodology, the International Seismological a workshop was organised and For more information contact: Centre (ISC), the Advanced National sponsored by GEM in November 2012 Seismic System (ANSS), the National in Pavia, Italy. During this workshop, Thifhelimbilu Mulabisana Earthquake Information Centre (NEIC) the compilation process was discussed Seismology Unit and the Geological Surveys of Namibia and regional catalogues were merged +27 (0)12 841 1241 and Botswana. The final catalogue in order to produce a preliminary sub- [email protected] should list independent events only Sahara earthquake catalogue. 10 I GeoClips
Geochemical mapping in KwaZulu-Natal
The Regional Geochemical Mapping Unit of the Council for Geoscience is participating in an MTEF project that is being carried out in the Dundee Tugela area of northern KwaZulu- Natal. The objective of the project Ulundi is the mineral exploration of base and precious metals. Four soil samples are collected on a square Melmoth kilometre grid basis with helicopter- supported transport. Approximately 13 000 samples will be taken over a 3 250 km2 area which includes the map areas of Melmoth, Eshowe, Eshowe Kranskop Mtunzini Nkandla, Mbongolwane, Qudeni, Amatikulu
Kranskop, Collessie and Nadi. Greytown Gingindlovu Sundumbili
The sampling team is coping well Legend under difficult circumstances. In the past, sampling was routinely carried out on a basis of one sample per square kilometre. Recently, Locality map of the sampling area. the sampling methodology has been changed to four samples per square kilometre in order to obtain safety aspects related to this project tend to delay the project progress. a denser sampling grid. The terrain is paramount. In winter, working conditions and is very mountainous with many progress are much better. An deep valleys, making landing of the Other difficulties include land enthusiastic and dedicated field team, helicopter on the steep slopes a very permission issues that sometimes who thoroughly enjoys the helicopter risky and dangerous operation. In may impact negatively on the soil sampling phase, forms the addition, there is a network of power project progress. The bushy and core of the project. Staff from other lines in the sampling area that has dusty landing spots may cause the geoscience units and regional offices to be avoided and plantations which helicopter to experience random of the organisation are also involved limit landing site possibilities. For technical problems. Heavy rainfall in in the training and capacity building this reason, consideration of the summer and cold fronts in winter also aspects of the project. Geoclips - June 2013 GeoClips I 11
Mountainous areas with plantations and hidden power lines make the Tugela terrain a very risky and challenging area to carry out helicopter-supported sampling.
Refuelling the helicopter during a field crew changeover.
Field crew and pilots at the Eshowe hanger. Top left: Johannes, Aphilile, Nosiseko, Themba, Mario, Tebogo, Thato. Bottom left: Sibongiseni, Nthabiseng, Sarel, Eliah, Moses and Mafuza. The landscape of the Mbongolwane area.
For more information contact: Sibongiseni Hlatshwayo/ Eliah Mulovhedzi Geochemistry Unit +27 (0)12 841 1503/1408 [email protected] [email protected] 12 I GeoClips
Promoting geoheritage in the Cape
PAARL MOUNTAIN
Geology of Cape landmark
Granite domes of Bretagne Rock (left) and Gordon’s Rock (right) looking southwest.
Front page of the Paarl Mountain brochure of the Cape Geosites series.
The Western Cape Branch of the website as the first in a series “Cape For information on these sites, follow Geological Society of South Africa Geosites”. Information from the the links: has been involved in promoting public brochure has also been posted as a understanding of the geoheritage of Wikipedia article. https://sites.google.com/site/gssawcb/ the Cape since the Seventies. https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v- The Cape Geosites series is due &pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbW The Geoheritage Subcommittee, for completion by 2016 when the Fpbnxnc3Nhd2NifGd4OjNmMjBlOWNl formed in the Nineties, produced a next IGC will be held in Cape NTZjOWU3Zg number of printed brochures and Town, and some sites may form the erected plaques at geologically basis for the first Geoparks to be http://en.wikipedia.org/ interesting locations around the Cape. launched in South Africa during the wiki/ Paarl_Mountain. Building on this initiative, the present conference. The following Geosites subcommittee, consisting of John should be released by 2016: Table Rogers, Doug Cole, Claire Browning, Mountain, Sea Point Contact, Len Gardner, David Le Roux and Dave Chapman’s Peak Drive, Hout Bay For more information contact: Broad, have been working to review Manganese Mine, Paarl Mountain, Doug Cole/Claire Browning and modernise these brochures for Brandvlei Hot Springs, Cogmans Western Cape Unit distribution on the Internet. Kloof, Oorlogskloof (glacial floor), +27 (0)21 943 6736/6732 Gansfontein Palaeosurface (fossil [email protected] The first brochure, Paarl Mountain, trackways), Langebaan Lagoon and [email protected] has been uploaded onto the branch Robben Island. Geoclips - June 2013 GeoClips I 13
Celebrating International Museum Day
The International Council of Museum and Ditsong Museums of learner visits a museum, s/he will Museums (ICOM) established South Africa were inspired to form accumulate a stamp in the passport, International Museum Day in 1977 a partnership. which will enable him/her to have to increase public awareness of the the opportunity of winning prizes, role of museums in the development The Ditsong National Museum of such as cameras, cellular phones of society. Cultural History hosted International and printers. Museum Day with the launch of This event is celebrated each the Museum Passport on 17 May The winners of this competition will year and this year the theme was: 2013. The objective of the Museum be announced on 17 October 2013. Museums (Memory + Creativity) = Passport is to encourage learners With the launch of the Museum Social Change. Hence, the City of and their families to visit museums. Passport, 1 242 learners have Tshwane Heritage Management, Twelve museums will be part of benefitted in the celebration of the Council for Geoscience an initiative where, each time a International Museum Day.
Mr Danie Barnardo, Council for Geoscience and Ms Malao, Ditsong National Museum of For more information contact: Cultural History hand out Museum Passports to learners. Kholisile Nzolo Geoscience Museum +27 (0)12 322 7122 [email protected] 14 I GeoClips
New fluxer for the Laboratory
Corlien Cloete and Melissa Crowley discussing aspects of the new automatic fluxer.
Molten samples that are cast into moulds will solidify into homogeneous glass disks. Geoclips - June 2013 GeoClips I 15
A new automatic fluxer, Claisse precision glass disk production. Up characterisation of rocks, soils, theOx, was purchased to replace to six glass disks can be prepared ceramics and building materials and the current fluxer which had been simultaneously. for research in geochemistry. a stalwart for more than 10 years. The new fluxer is capable of The glass disks are used for producing glass disks for a wide major-element analyses by X-ray range of sample types including ores fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). and clays. A suitable programme The analyses are performed on glass For more information contact: can be selected for each specific disks to remove mineralogical effects Corlien Cloete sample type. With ISO 17025 in the and to provide a sample medium Laboratory Unit process of being implemented, the conducive for high accuracy and +27 (0)12 841 1334 new fluxer is ideal for reproducing precision major-element analysis. [email protected] specific melt regimes to ensure high- XRF is used for the chemical
The Council for Geoscience cares
Council for Geoscience and CES Group packing team.
On 16 November 2012, the Nuclear However, many children and families exercise. Together with CES Group Geohazards Group (NGG) of the do not have meals during the school (Pty) Ltd, 132 000 meals were Council for Geoscience teamed up holidays and Izzi Trust also provides packed for Izzi Trust’s June 2013 with Izitini Zolwazi (better known as meal packs for this purpose. target. Each meal packet feeds six the Izzi Trust — a children’s charity) adults and contains rice, soya, soup to help pack meals for families for the This NGG team building exercise mix and vitamins. school holidays. Izzi Trust focuses on resulted in Izzi Trust reaching their improving the standard of education feeding scheme target for December of the children of South Africa and 2012 and 9 782 meals were packed. For more information contact: one of the ways in which they are Annabel Graham achieving this goal is through feeding On 19 April 2013, the NGG, together Nuclear Geohazards Group schemes. In partnership with Makro, with colleagues from the Information +27 (0)12 841 1123 Izzi Trust provides hot meals to and Collections Management Unit, [email protected] children at five schools and crèches. embarked on another team building Excellent achievement
The National Science and Innovation, Education, Capacity quality of the seven nominees Technology Forum (NSTF) Building and Communication. in this category and the fact awards, hosted in partnership Erna Hattingh, Project Manager that all of them have made with BHP Billiton since 2011, for the Level 3 Probabilistic an outstanding contribution is the flagship project of the Seismic Hazard Analysis of to Science, Engineering, largest and most prominent the Senior Seismic Hazard Technology and Innovation multistakeholder representative Analysis Committee (SSHAC), (SETI) in South Africa. The forum for SETI in South has been nominated as a finalist announcement of the 2012/13 Africa. The awards have for her outstanding contribution NSTF-BHP Billiton award been in existence since 1998 to SETI through management winners will take place at a and encourage and reward and related activities over the prestigious gala event scheduled excellence in Scientific last five to ten years. It is an for 27 June 2013 in Gauteng. Research, Technological exceptional honour, given the Good luck to Erna!
Erna Hattingh
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